Welcome To My World Of Crazy
by LocoAndDeep
Summary: Sequel to Finding A Reason To Stay... Parker continues to help Eliot get back on his feet and then Operation Phantom Cobra happens and Eliot is suddenly raptured into her world... The world of crazy that she went through while he'd been in the hospital... Will he ever fully recover from this nightmare he is in?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N - WELCOME!**

**This chapter almost didn't happen... But I got it pulled together and I am ready to make your weekend bright!**

**I hope you have fun reading this as much as I did writing it. **

**A/N - I put this as rated M, because if Eliot or Parker doesn't control their mouths... Who knows where we'll end up?**

**ENJOY and PLEASE REVIEW! The muses are hungry again... And with the addition of the Burn Notice muses, I have more mouths to feed.**

**LOL!**

* * *

After Parker finished with Sophie, she dialed another number and had the delivery of Eliot's Christmas present moved up earlier than she first ordered it to be delivered. When she had first ordered the ten horses, she had no idea when Eliot was going to wake up and get out of the hospital. Now that he was about to start physical therapy, it was time… Why ten? She thought of five per side of the barn, and if Nate, Sophie, and Hardison wanted to ride they could. The five other horses could be for Beretta and Colt to ride, and so on and so forth. The little ones might like to pet them anyway until they could ride. So in the meantime, she got them a couple of Shetland ponies to ride; to get them used to riding. They were small enough and the children were just the right size in her mind. She didn't understand that a one and a half month old and a ten and a half month old weren't big enough to ride anything but in a bouncy leisure center. The man at the ranch told her to expect delivery on the fifth of the ten horses and two Shetlands. Parker seemed pleased with herself. Lunch was already looming… She went into the kitchen and began to prep the beef she needed to make her version of tacos. The thief didn't like to use onion in her meat but she loved the flavor so she used a little onion and garlic powders, ground cumin, and a little salt and pepper. When the meat was done, she turned off the stove, and headed up to her bedroom to change into her outfit…

She striped down and dressed herself in this bikini that had a bra that looked like it was made out of the flag of Mexico, the two strings tied up behind her head at the base of her neck, and it actually had cups instead of tiny patches of fabric. The bottom half looked like boy cut underwear but it also had the same colors as above. She left her hair down and dug around in her closet for the sombrero. She grabbed the blanket and some duct tape… With everything in place, she went down into the living room. Parker put some Mariachi music on the stereo, turned up the temperature on the thermostat to something cozy and comfortable, and went back to making lunch. Eliot's room and busted in again after she stopped in the living room to put some Mariachi music on the stereo… She prepped a head of lettuce, washed it, and cut it in half. She put the other half into a Ziploc bag with a damp paper towel to keep it from turning brown. Then she retrieved the vegetable oil for frying the flour tortillas and after putting that on the counter she went back to the refrigerator for a couple large tomatoes. Parker was at the sink washing them when she got a shock at the voice behind her. She jumped slightly but she still kind of expected Eliot anyway…

"Dammit Parker, what the hell are you wearin'," she heard him ask behind her.

* * *

Eliot had decided to take a nap after breakfast and had slept pretty well, all up until the point that he suddenly heard horns, people singing, and guitars blaring in the living room. He got himself out of bed, into his wheels with a lot of grunting and adrenaline pumping into his system, and rolled himself to the kitchen with a little work. He noticed a serape folded over a chair… He sat there a minute and watched Parker dancing around the kitchen in almost nothing but a bikini, a straw-woven sombrero, and an apron on her front side. She was getting the vegetable oil out of a cabinet, barefoot, up on her tip-toes, and then the tortillas from the fridge. She went back for some tomatoes. The way she moved in the kitchen with ease while holding his favorite knives… He was trying not to let it turn him on… But it was damn hot to watch…

"It's Mexican for lunch today… Tacos are on the menu, should be ready in a few minutes," she spoke like nothing was wrong with what she wore as part of the meal's theme…

She came up to him in the chair with an apron that said, 'Kiss the Cook,' on it and she took control of the chair. She wheeled him up to the dining room table and parked him there before put the sombrero on her head on his. Then she disappeared back into the kitchen. A few moments later she came out with a cutting board and a colander. She set both on the table and he noticed that she had a knife inside the colander with the half a head of lettuce and the two tomatoes.

"Wanna help?"

Parker had no idea how very much he wanted to help… He'd missed his knives and the actions of food preparation. He'd been thinking of how he could sneak back into the kitchen to cook something for himself without the thief watching over his shoulder… He'd also missed his cooking… Not that what Parker made for him was bad for him, but he was already looking forward to sweating off all the calories he'd consumed since he'd left the hospital… And then he remembered that tomorrow he was going to get the reprieve from the prison of the casts on his legs tomorrow already. Soon, physical therapy would be taking his worries away because he would be getting his strength back and that meant he could get back to his life sooner. Eliot nodded in the affirmative, took the knife from the colander, and firmly gripped it in his hand.

"You know what to do with that and this stuff here. Cut it however you like. Be right back," Parker voiced before she went back to the kitchen.

The hitter noticed that it was nicely warm in the room while she was gone. She must have turned up the heat. A few moments later she returned with a couple bowls for the tomatoes and the lettuce. Then she mercifully left him alone…

* * *

The blond thief went about frying the soft taco size flour tortillas, which didn't take her long; they dried in an upside down V position to keep them from closing or she would have ended with tostadas instead. She hadn't planned on that because then she'd need refried beans… She'd stolen looks at him as he started cutting away at the food; he looked happy and relaxed. It seemed to her that it had been a good idea to include him in helping to make lunch. Then Parker pulled out the bag of already graded cheese from the fridge and served up some in a bowl. It was a blend of some Mexican style cheese. She took that to the table along with a medium flavored chunky salsa and sour cream. After collecting the stuff she left with Eliot, she brought out he dried shells. Then she nuked some of the meat in the microwave just to heat it up a little because it would take too long to heat it up in the pan that it was cooked in. Parker brought the meat out along with plates and silverware.

"What would you like to drink?"

"What have you got?"

"Everything…"

"I'll have a beer," the thief nodded and went off to the fridge.

She pulled out his beer and opened it for him. Then she took her medication so she could have cheese on her tacos. Then she came back out with his drink and water for her. The apron came off and she draped it on the table. Mindful of his opinion on how she dressed up in the bikinis, she put the serape over one shoulder and the other ends were duct taped all together from the inside So there, she was covered.

"No hats at the table," she teased as she took the sombrero from his head, put it on top of the apron, and then had a seat. "Dig in…"

* * *

Vance was at the airport in a private hangar with Diego when he got the call from Michael Westen about needing some strings pulled so that they could get on a flight to California. There was no way they would've been able to get on a commercial flight with all that firepower. And shortly thereafter with some pulled strings, they had a private jet to pick them up. During the flight, Westen filled him in on what Fiona told him about what Parker wanted her to do as her part of Operation Phantom Cobra and Vance told him that he could use them to help interrogate his informant… After hashing out a few more details, Michael stood and gathered up Diego before they exited the plane. The hired car waiting for him was there. No witnesses as Vance locked the man in the front of the vehicle while he went around to the other side. The driver that had delivered the black Suburban with the tinted windows had loaded the luggage into the back while Rodriguez and Vance were on the plane, so he never saw them. The pilots had instructions to leave the plane as well once they were in the hangar. Michael took Diego on a ride to his vacation home in Beverly Hills. Once there he put him under constant surveillance with his security team there. He had cameras everywhere. If the man tried to escape, they'd see it. You couldn't be Special Forces like he was and not be a little paranoid. And he had the best of the best for his security… They had been personally inspected by Eliot Spencer as a favor to Vance.

Michael went to his office and turned on his computer to integrate the information from Michael Westen that Parker had given to Fiona. The studied over it a while and then relaxed in his leather office chair with a fine Cuban cigar he'd gotten as a Christmas present from the burned CIA agent and news around the world on a wall of flat-screen televisions. He propped up his boots up on to his desk and listened in…

* * *

Eliot had a full stomach… It hurt because it felt like he was going to bust at the seams… Damn him all to hell… He still wasn't sure how he'd managed to get into a taco eating contest with Parker… And she won! God, she must have a hollow leg or something…

'Dammit,' he thought. 'Where did she put all that food?'

She'd won with an even ten! He only made it to eight. It was a given that they were so tasty, but there was something about them, he just couldn't put them down until he'd reached his limit at eight. The vine ripened tomatoes were just perfect when he had the second set of four tacos with them on top instead of the chunky salsa. It had been a good afternoon meal… Especially since he'd gotten to participate in the food preparation; the weight of the knives felt so good. He wondered if when he got out of the casts, she'd let him back into the kitchen; maybe it wouldn't be so bad if they got to cook together sometime…

* * *

After lunch, Parker cleared the table and put the empty dishes into the sink for rinsing later. She put the sour cream back in the fridge; there was no need with the salsa because they emptied it. There were no leftovers because the two of them killed it all… It had been so much fun challenging Eliot to a taco eating contest. She explained that they used to have them in the Juvenile Hall cooking classes. Her record was eighteen of the small corn tortilla ones and a dozen of the flour ones of the size she and Eliot had eaten. She dared him for a little fun because she knew it was in his nature not to back down from a competition. Parker helped the hitter into the living room to watch anything he wanted on the television. She had her cell with her as she sat down on the sofa across the room from Eliot. She began her text to Hardison for Tara… Now that the team was in California, it was time for the blond grifter to do her job.

[SpiderMonkey: Time 2 get Tara ready. P.]

[YouCan'tHackThis: Gotcha. Checkin' us in now. H.]

[SpiderMonkey: Tell her 2 go with Code Red as I explained it 2 U. P.]

[DevilInRedHeels: I'm here. H said U need me 4 a job? What do U need me 2 do? T.]

[YouCan'tHackThis: 4 now, U can stop makin' out in front of the black man who's missing his wife. H.]

[DevilInRedHeels: *Snicker* Sorry. So, red high heels it is. H. Just told me. T.]

[SpiderMonkey: Work 1st. Fun later. 2 save time, U R a lure 4 Enrique Villareagos. Seduce him. Get in 2 his inner circle. Be a distraction when I need U 2 B. Distract the wives if U have 2. Think Desperate Housewives… They like to spend their men's money and show off their riches. P.]

[YouCan'tHackThis: He's Don Juan and Tony Montana in 1. Watch your back. I will do what I can. H.]

[DevilInRedHeels: What's my in? T.]

[SpiderMonkey: He's a drug dealing masseuse among other services. Gets his clients hooked on drugs and other things. Take a few days 2 watch him if you need 2. I will be there on the 7th 2 get the ball rolling in another direction. Quinn can watch U 'til you're in. P.]

[YouCan'tHackThis: He's gotta stay out of sight though. H.]

[DevilInRedHeels: Got it. Let us know when U R in town. T.]

[SpiderMonkey: Yup. Later every 1. P.]

Code Red meant that Tara was going to have to pull out her red high heels and look better than a body had a right to, to catch Enrique's attention. Parker knew Tara would be good for that kind of job. She would have gotten Sophie to do it, but she needed the other grifter to look out for Eliot in her absence.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N - Hey everybody!**

**Welcome to FABULOUS FUNDS FRIDAY!**

**Today I have a rare treat for your weekend... Two updates today!**

**A/N - And we creep a little closer to Operation Phantom Cobra's completion!**

**Hope you like it and we can't wait for your REVIEWS!**

* * *

After she finished with texting the team and catching up on shows that Eliot had missed, which was several hours later, Parker noticed that he'd drifted off to sleep. She snuck into the kitchen and rinsed the dishes from lunch before she loaded up the dishwasher. The thief started it up before she disappeared up to her room. She needed something to wear for dinner… It was too early to wear the buckskin bikini she'd planned when they got closer to Thanksgiving, you know for those first Native Americans that came to dinner. She'd planned to wear that when it was time to put Eliot to bed on Thanksgiving, but that was before she'd called and invited his step-family to come out to the farm for the holiday. She settled on the overalls she had on earlier and a plain black t-shirt. Parker went back down to the kitchen and quietly retrieved a pot and one deep dish skillet pan. She filled the pot with water and simply put it on the stove without a sound. Then the water began to boil as she'd turned on the fire. When it was ready, she opened a container that contained egg noodles and dumped a good amount into the pot. Within a few more minutes, they'd boiled and she turned off the flame and let them finish cooking under a lid. The blond thief retrieved the milk and a can of cream of chicken soup. It took some work, a drained can of chicken, mixed vegetables, and dinner was ready.

She turned down the fire to low to keep dinner warm before quietly as possible setting the table. When she finished, she padded barefoot from the dining room to the living room where Eliot was still asleep on the sofa. She knelt down next to his torso and watched him sleep for a few moments. He looked like he was getting some good rest; she almost hated to wake the man up to eat dinner. She wondered if he was actually hungry since they'd had a taco eating contest. Well this time she wouldn't challenge him to another eating contest so he could eat however much he wanted. More than likely she'd end up putting most of it away for left overs considering she'd made enough for an army… His hair covered one eye and it made her fingers itch to just move it out of the way. In a flash, she did that very thing… The fingers on her left hand gently brushed the hair away from the left side of his face and then again brushed it back on the right. His left hand suddenly reached out and caught her wrist near his head. His eyes fluttered open and they still had sleep in them.

"Hey," she whispered and then smiled. "Dinner's ready."

* * *

Eliot had just finished catching up on his favorite television shows when he suddenly felt tired. So he let himself drift off to sleep. He had a dreamless rest this time. It almost worried him that he didn't dream of something. The next thing he knew, he felt delicate fingers brushing the hair from his face. He caught the tiny wrist of the intruder. He slowly opened his eyes and thought he was going to see bright light, but it was only lit across the room, and the tiredness was still trying to drag his eyes down. Then he heard her whisper to him that dinner was ready. He groaned as his stomach still felt full from lunch. But like a glutton for punishment, he decided to check out what creation she had made, because so far she hadn't made anything that made him sick or made him want to throw up after finding out what was in it. She must have seen that he needed help sitting up because she suddenly stood and started to help him sit up by lifting him under his shoulders. He grabbed the back of the sofa and helped her until he was sitting in an upright manner. Then she brought over his chair and helped him into it. Eliot rolled himself to the waiting dining room table. Parker had something that looked like a good salad and candlestick holders with two white tapered candles lit. She walked behind him and into the kitchen to serve up the skillet dinner. Soon after she brought out two plates of food, a bottle of ranch dressing, and some shredded parmesan cheese in a plastic tub. Then she snuck back in and dimmed the lights. When she returned, she had a pitcher of lemonade. Parker took a seat and poured them something to drink.

The cubed chicken was tender and didn't taste as salty as he'd expected it to, because canned chicken usually had a lot of salt in it as a preservative. The egg noodles weren't overdone and the sauce was very good, creamy in fact. He wondered how she was able to eat it and then remembered that she'd probably taken her special medicine. Eliot closed-mouth smiled as he chewed to show her in a way that what she'd made was good. Really it wasn't bad… He was just still very full from lunch.

"When is the appointment tomorrow?"

"I don't remember. I'll look it up later," the hitter had the feeling she didn't want him to know.

"Is it far?" He tried to engage her in more small talk.

"Nope, it's at the hospital where you were; shouldn't take long to get there."

* * *

Parker wasn't sure if Eliot really liked dinner. She tried to read him and wasn't sure if what she read off of him was to be the truth or maybe he was putting on a brave face. Then she wondered if she should tell the hitter that Sophie was back in town. She definitely wouldn't tell him that Hardison, Tara, and Quinn were in Los Angeles getting ready to set up Enrique Villareagos. Parker knew that Tara would be perfect bait for Enrique to snap up. She'd be the perfect blond trophy to carry on his arm to parties and special events. The wives might be wary of her but Parker knew that Tara could pull it off. She watched as Eliot at least managed a few bites of the skillet dinner and ate the whole bit of salad on his plate.

"Would you mind if I ate this tomorrow? I'm sorry, I'm just so full from lunch," he apologized.

"Don't worry about it, it's my fault. I'll go wrap it up," she stood to leave.

* * *

Eliot grabbed her wrist to stop her…

"Parker, no, it's my fault. I should have said I was full when you got me up. I'd be happy to eat it tomorrow," he gave her one of his southern charm smiles.

"It's okay, Sparky. I'll be right back," she said and scurried off.

He worried that she still thought it was her fault and he still didn't know how to make it up to her other than offering to eat it as left overs. Eliot sighed and headed to his room a little early. He decided to put himself to bed a little early since they were going to the doctor's tomorrow. The most frustrating thing was he didn't know what time the appointment was and he had a feeling that it was going to be a stress-filled day. Really, any time spent with Parker was a stress-filled day his mind reminded him. But then his heart told him that her cooking and making sure he was comfortable didn't seem like such craziness that was predicted from her; in fact it was almost crazy in the fact that it was almost too domestic to be coming from Parker. Then his brain that ruled over his body told him that the crazy part that he was looking for was in the fact that the crazy thief was dressing up in too many damn hot bikinis. What had that all been about anyway… Oh, she was pretending it was warm… But then his heart told him that she hadn't dressed up in one for dinner… What was wrong with that picture?

Eliot was in bed and lying there in the dark awake… He heard her say good night to him and oddly his left hand on the coverlet began to tingle… It almost felt like a reminder… He suddenly recalled that since he'd been at the farm with Parker… Well really since about the time they'd left Oklahoma, his hands hadn't tingled like they had before… Why? Why now of all times? He thought about asking her about it when he got up; that seemed to satisfy his nerves and he yawned. The hitter closed his eyes and soon after he was asleep as well.

* * *

Meanwhile in Los Angeles, California… Tara and Quinn were in their hotel room and her hose were on top of the door to the bathroom, his slacks near the closet, her high heeled shoes near the desk, and his tie on the lamp on that desk, which lead the eyes to a post-coital couple lying in bed. The grifter's head on the hitter's sweat dampened chest. It had been close, she realized. Quinn barely kept it together in front of the hacker once he found out Tara's part of the plan was to seduce Enrique Villareagos and get into his inner circle. He told her when they had stood together naked, that he wanted to go with her and protect her, and she'd had to tell him no. As a compromise, she offered to let him claim her as his that night, but warned him not to leave marks or the Brazilian might get suspicious.

* * *

Quinn was awake and staring up at the ceiling. He didn't like Parker's plan, but they needed an in and his girl needed to work her magic and get in. His idea had been to have him go in instead, man to man and offer him some kind of incentive to buy his way into Enrique's inner circle. But this was Parker's idea… He had no control over the situation… And for once he saw how Eliot felt about him watching over the crazy thief. Still he worried Tara was in grave danger since this was going to be some kind of drug war…

"I can feel you're worried, Quinn, my boy," Tara teased as her fingernails walked up his lightly furred chest.

"I don't like it… Are you sure you can do this?"

"I have to. It's our only way in for Parker's plan to work. You heard what Hardison told us," yeah he'd heard it but he still didn't have to like it.

"What does he know? I know about the mine field you're walking into… He's just stuck behind a laptop."

"If I can't do it, I don't deserve to be a grifter, my love. Don't worry; you'll be there soon enough. I really think Parker's got every scenario covered."

"I hope so… Because I have to watch you for myself and Parker for Eliot. If I don't, I'm a marked man, you realize that? He will kill me once he gets those casts off if anything happened to her when this operation of hers is completed."

"Yes, I hear you. I can hold my own if you need to look after her… You remember Ibiza…" He did… It was only the second time they'd had to work together to take down a mark; she got into a gun fight while he took down the mark who tried to escape.

"Yeah, I do. It's Parker I don't trust. She's crazy…"

* * *

When Parker returned to the table after putting away the left overs and rinsing the dishes in the sink headed for the dishwasher, she discovered that Eliot had slipped away. She couldn't see him in the living room and figured that he must have gone to bed. She sighed and brought the candlesticks into the kitchen to cool. Maybe he was right… They did have a doctor's appointment to go to in the morning… It wasn't going to be so early in the morning that they couldn't have breakfast before they headed into town. She turned off the heat in the living room and went to Eliot's room.

"Good night, Sparky," said to the wooden door, though his light was already off.

Then she went upstairs, stripped down to her bra and panties, and grabbed Mr. Bunny before she crawled into bed. She closed her eyes and was asleep within the hour.

* * *

In the brilliancy of the morning, just after sunrise when the world was new, Parker was up early and in the kitchen. She wanted to get breakfast started early; the food wasn't going to cook itself… She guessed Eliot was still in bed because she didn't hear a sound in there… There was no time for a bikini so she poured herself into a tight pair of jeans and a cashmere sweater she Parker'd from Sophie for a while because she heard cashmere was soft. In the kitchen, she took some pre-made biscuits out of a can, and put them on a tray, after she'd turned on the oven to pre-heat it. Seventeen minutes later, they were ready as she pulled out the golden colored treats out of the oven. As she let them cool she went to the fridge for eggs; that she made just like the fast food chain, cheddar cheese thinly sliced, and Canadian bacon. When the biscuits were cool enough, she split two open and built her version of an egg McMuffin. Parker kept them warm in the microwave. There had been ample time while waiting for the biscuits to cook in the oven that she'd made coffee. She poured herself some orange juice with high pulp before she went to the freezer for some hash browns. Once those were made and kept warm on low in the pan, the blond thief went on the hunt for Eliot.

Parker went to his room and the door was open and his bed was empty. Then she heard the sink turn on and figured he was in the bathroom; that door was cracked open just a hair. His back was to the door so he didn't happen to see her there because the mirror wasn't very big. He was standing and leaning against the counter trying to hold his body straight and shave at the same time; his shirt off. She couldn't help but admire the view for a few moments. Parker didn't say a word as she went up to the counter and hopped up upon it. Then she showed him how limber she was as she took her left leg and put it way up over his head and she trapped him between her legs, the thief locked him in place with her strong thighs before Parker took the razor out of his hand…


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N - Hiya!**

**Here's your treat! **

**By the way, this story and the previous 100 chapters are now listed as a crossover. **

**This chapter is brought to you by Miranda Lambert's Getting Ready and a Chocolate Brownie Sandwich...**

**FYI, never buying Taco Bell tacos again... Bloody things gave me indigestion!**

**A/N - Enjoy and have a great weekend after sending in a REVIEW or two!**

* * *

"Dammit Parker, what do you think you're doin'?"

"What does it look like, Sparky? I'm helping you shave, that's what."

"I can do this on my own…"

Eliot had to admit to himself that her legs felt great around his thighs, holding him close. Her body wasn't pressed that close, but it was enough to give his body ideas… He felt the strength in her thighs as she held on tight.

"Chin up, come on…" she spoke.

He did as she requested and gently took the razor to his throat. She went slow and made her first pass. She turned on the water in the sink and rinsed the blades before the blades went back to make another slow pass. What could've taken him at least an hour to do, Parker did in half an hour. There were no nicks and she'd kept his soul patch and mustache that had started to form on his upper lip, but the two sides of the goatee disappeared. Then she reached past him and grabbed a wash cloth off the counter. She got it wet with warm water, wrung it out, and then wiped his newly shaved face down. After, Parker simply threw her leg back over in front of his face and then hopped down off the counter.

"There, all done, Sparky. Now, come on, breakfast is waiting. Hope it isn't too cold, but I know the coffee is warm."

"Thanks."

"No problemo…"

"How come no special outfit today?"

He hated to ask because he feared that she would take it that he was getting attached to her dressing up every meal. He hated it worse that he had to admit he was actually liking what new outfit she was going to spring on him.

"No time for that this morning, your appointment is in an hour and a half."

She wheeled him right into the dining room…

"Shouldn't I have a shirt on?" He teased as he knew she was a little distracted.

"Don't worry, the no shirt, no shoes, no service rule doesn't apply here."

"Parker…" He growled.

"Maybe you're the one to undress for me today," she volleyed back as she brought him his plate of breakfast and coffee.

"Dammit… I am not undressing for you Parker."

"Your loss," she said as she walked off to his bedroom.

He watched her go…

* * *

Parker just needed a minute to breathe and she went into his room. Her heart liked the idea of Eliot Spencer undressing for her one day… But she had business to attend to. She went to his closet and grabbed an off white cable knit sweater from his closet and a pair of black sweats to go over his casts. Right then at the table he was only dressed in black boxer briefs; that's what had made her joke about having him undress for her so funny, he only had one item of clothing on… In a spiffy, she was back, gotten the clothing she'd selected on him, before she grabbed her breakfast and orange juice. She took her special medicine, ate quietly, and then took her dishes to the sink. Time was quickly fleeting and she needed to get him on the road.

* * *

Soon enough, Parker rolled Eliot into the twenty by fifteen feet sized room. It was so big because they needed room for storage of equipment, plasters, items for making casts, and cutting them off. She wheeled him to the table and he locked it in place. He helped himself up out of his chair and onto a chair that looked like it came from a dentist's office. Parker messed with the foot petals on the floor and tilted Eliot back so that he could be a little more comfortable. She was surprised a little that he hadn't barked at her… A few minutes later the doctor came in. Doctor Marshall Pierce looked a bit like that growly guy from that television show about vampires and werewolves that she and Hardison used to watch, Parker mused. His white doctor coat was barely able to keep his muscles inside the fabric. He wore a Pittsburg Steelers football t-shirt under the coat. His hair was very curly, but the curls had lengthened to lots of waves; his hair was still off his shoulders. Parker thought it was long enough to be grabbed hard… She focused back on Eliot so she wouldn't find herself day dreaming about the doctor. He was probably married anyway… The hitter shook hands with the doctor.

"Okay, Mister Abernathy. Let's see what we've got here."

The doctor began to cut away at the plaster, going down Eliot's leg.

"Does that hurt?" She couldn't help but ask.

"No, Alice. Haven't you ever had a broken bone?" Eliot asked.

"I can't remember," and she really couldn't; she figured it was blocked from her conscious mind.

Then Marshall was cracking open the casts and there was Eliot's flesh. The scars from the surgery to repair his legs were a bit white because they hadn't been in the sunlight yet. They looked really good as far as the stitching went. Eliot pointed his toes and brought them back up to point at his face. She saw that felt good. Then the doctor started to manipulate the flesh as he felt for the important things he needed to write into his report. Parker saw that it hurt a bit because she saw Eliot grit his teeth.

"Well, looks like you're almost there man. You're gonna have to wear straight-legged braces for a couple months or so as you start physical therapy. Or at least until they send me the note that you're ready to be fitted for a hinged brace to strengthen your knees."

"Dammit. Why can't I go with the hinged braces? I feel fine."

"Baby steps, Mister Abernathy. You've been off your legs for some time now, according to your hospital records. So, they've atrophied a bit and then you want to put your full body weight on them? Man, you'd fall flat on your face."

"Dammit…" She saw it in his face that he knew the handsome doctor was right.

"Come on, it won't be so bad, Sparky. You'll get to start physical therapy…" Parker tried to remain hopeful for Eliot.

"And I will get you a cane for you to walk with at home. And once you can stand and walk ten feet in the therapy room we'll re-evaluate the braces. But you've got to go slow on those parallel bars until you build up a bit of stamina."

"Fine, strap me in."

"Seriously, it won't be so bad…" the blond thief spoke.

"You're not the one with braces getting put on her legs," Eliot sarcastically uttered.

"I'll make you see it won't be so bad, promise," she countered.

* * *

'That's what I'm worried about,' Eliot thought to himself.

"I need to speak with Miss Alice, alone. For just a minute," once the doctor had finished strapping him in.

Eliot got the hint… He didn't like it, but he got the hint. He'd seen the way the doctor had been making not so subtle overtures at Parker; all the smiles and the bashful looks. Somehow she seemed to be unaware of it all. He noticed it especially when the man mentioned stamina. Yeah, Eliot was sure the man had that in spades. And he was just damaged goods… But then it hit him again… Why the hell was he comparing himself to another man when it came to Parker? He wasn't in a relationship with the blond thief, so what was the problem? The thought entered his mind; he didn't like it when another man came in on his territory… Wait… His territory? She wasn't a piece of land… What the hell? She wasn't his… He had no right to claim her. So he got himself down out of the chair that the doctor had set upright again, and into his wheels. Then he went off on his own as the doctor opened the door for him. Eliot heard the door click closed behind him. He couldn't help but listen in at the door.

"What did you want?" She asked him.

"How is he doing with his recovery?"

"I keep him off his legs as much as I can to get him better. Why?"

"Make sure he gets any pain medication he needs as he starts physical therapy. Here's my number if the braces need to be adjusted or whatever you need." Eliot could tell the man was trying to drop a major hint that he was interested in her.

"Okee dokee. Is that all?"

"Well, I was sort of wondering if you were free, this Saturday. I'm going to my cousin's wedding and I was wondering if you'd like to go."

Eliot knew an event like that was like candy to a woman like Parker. So many people to steal from in a few hours… He sincerely thought she'd take him up on it. Then something happened he wasn't expecting… It was quiet… He guessed they were kissing because he heard some heavy breathing… And he felt his heart sink a little further down into his stomach as he felt oddly disappointed. Eliot could have sworn he heard the man growl when she backed away.

"I would accept your offer; however, I have a prior engagement this weekend."

The hitter felt a little better that she'd turned him down, but he knew she was dying to go. He moved on to the lobby after that. If Eliot had stayed he would have heard the rest of what Parker had to say, instead, he didn't. Shortly after, Parker appeared with the cane the doctor said he could use and took him back out to her truck.

* * *

Parker could tell that the doctor was interested in her, so she wasn't surprised when he asked her to stay behind. She really should have begged off and gone to Eliot but she wondered if he wanted to tell her something about the hitter. When he asked her how he was doing, she'd offered that she'd been making him rest… But then he did the obvious and passed her his number. And then he asked her to go to a wedding… While she quickly thought it over, of all the things she could've stolen and the fortune that could've been made, she had other priorities at the moment. Eliot was more important for the time being. Hell, she'd totally give up stealing all together if he asked her to. Besides, she didn't need a hunk of man meat like him coming after her either. The hitter hadn't seen that she had just kissed both his cheeks European style. Dr. Pierce playfully growled at her and then he suddenly heavily kissed her before she flat out turned him down stating that she had a prior engagement. Then she left the doctor's exam room and dropped the ripped up pieces of the business card he passed her in a trash can as she headed for the lobby. There had to be another doctor in town she could see if Eliot needed help that wasn't trying to come on to her… Really… Seriously… If she didn't have to come back to see that man, life would be good.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N - In the Grave Danger Job, the gang members mention an Enrique in the episode... That is not this Enrique. The one in the episode was Mexican. Mine is Brazilian. So try not to get that too confused...**

**A/N - It was fun to hear Eliot laughing in my head...**

**A/N - Hope you like it! Don't forget to REVIEW!**

* * *

It took a bit of work but Parker got Eliot back into the truck. He had to sit with his back leaning against the double cab door on the passenger side, in the back seat so that his legs stretched comfortably across the seat. When they got home there was a forest green Land Rover parked in front of the farm house. The thief knew it didn't belong to the three sisters that came for the Samhain rituals; their Land Rover had been white… She got out and told Eliot to stay because she knew he'd try to get out of the truck on his own, and he still wasn't moving too well… Someone could make him a hostage easily, so it was her job to protect the hitter. Then the thief pulled out the Taser from her glove compartment in front of Eliot before she went off to investigate. She didn't need to go far as Sophie popped her head from around the screen door.

"Hi Sophie, what are you doing here?"

"I came to check up on Eliot, you both really. I got awful lonesome for company at my place and Nate is still out of the country. So, I'm here checking up on you two darlings."

"Well, you can help me get him out of my truck. His casts came off but the doctor wants him to wear braces while he starts physical therapy to strengthen his muscles. He mentioned something about that they were out of commission so long that it would be bad to take the casts off without support," Parker spoke as she and Sophie came down the ramp to the passenger side of the truck. "Of course, you know he's not happy about having to wear more gear."

Then the thief opened the passenger door to the front seat for the grifter…

"Eliot, darling, you must listen to the doctor and us for now," she began.

"Just get me out of this damn truck already," he griped.

"Sit up then, Oscar…" Parker spoke.

"Oscar, love?"

"Yeah, if he wants to be Oscar the Grouch… Then we'll just have to tickle his feet until he starts laughin'," the thief thought would be fun…

"Dammit Parker… Just get me outta here."

"Is he even ticklish on his feet?" Sophie wanted to know.

"No," Eliot said but no one was listening.

"I don't know for sure, but I'm sure we could find somewhere to tickle him…"

* * *

Then Parker disappeared and popped up on the other side. Then Sophie opened the passenger door to the back seat and Eliot's back was facing her. She watched the grifter count off… 1… 2… 3… And both ladies suddenly began tickling Eliot anywhere they could find that was ticklish. The thief pulled off his double socks and tickled his feet, while Sophie got his ribs and neck. Then they started hearing Eliot laugh… A couple minutes later they stopped, satisfied they'd heard him laugh. It had been a long time and it was good to hear coming from the poor man that had been through so much so far.

"You both better look out once I get these things off and can walk again. Paybacks are a bitch…" He teased.

The blond thief was satisfied with herself as she put his double socks back on; they'd gotten him to lighten up a little. She came back around and helped push Eliot to the driver's side of the back seat. Then she got his wheels out of the rear of the truck and brought them close. Soon Eliot was in the chair and Sophie pushed him up the ramp and through the front door.

"Anybody hungry? It's almost lunchtime…"

* * *

Within five hours of landing in Los Angeles, Michael Vance, Michael Westen, Fiona Glenanne, and Sam Axe had scared enough of the shit out of Diego that he gave them everything they wanted to know. Fiona scared him the most. She'd threatened to blow those body parts that made him a man off and told him he'd have to pee through a straw for the rest of his life… And when she got that crazed look in her eye when she talked about blowing stuff up, Diego caved. Even her boyfriend Michael, Sam, and the other Michael crossed their legs after hearing her… After they were done with the man, they fed him and then Fiona tied him to a hotel bed; spread eagle so that he didn't have a chance to get away and tip off his family that trouble was coming. Once their prisoner was stored for a while, the three men got caught up a bit about how things were going back in Miami over pizza and beer. Fiona on the other hand, sent the information they retrieved from Diego by Fax to a man she'd never met named, Alec Hardison…

* * *

Tara woke up and stretched a little. Quinn was gone from the bed and had been for some time as his side was cold. What she didn't know was that he couldn't be there to watch her go, to be with another man, so he went down to the executive gym to work it out of his system. She sat up and then headed for the shower to clean off anything that would give away she'd had sex with the hitter last night; right down to every last hair on her head. She wanted to make sure her mark couldn't sense another man had been with her. When she finished her shower, she went to her luggage and unpacked her champagne colored wrap dress. It was almost winter but the beautiful southern California weather didn't show any signs of cooling. She left off her bra but she put on a pair of white thong panties under her dress. Tara fixed her hair in an appropriate way, so that she might snag him with the light hitting her boldly blond locks. Then she dabbed some expensive perfume in all the right places and then brought out her jewelry case. She put on a few, thin as linguini, gold bracelets on, and then came the three inch trailing diamond earrings. Her final piece was a necklace that was made out gold that had been stretched into thin wires and then bunched together at each end. Then a chain met those ends and wrapped around the back of her neck. She looked at herself in the mirror… Tara had an air of rich about her. She grabbed her matching clutch with her small gun hidden inside it along with the two-shot Derringer. A girl could never be too careful…

The grifter headed down to see Hardison for her extra gear… He fitted her with an ear bud and gave her the information she needed to know on Enrique… Then Tara went to the room they set up as a meeting room for her to meet the Brazilian. She called the number they retrieved from Diego and left a message to set up a massage for that afternoon. It didn't take more than twenty minutes for the burner phone Hardison gave her to ring.

"Hello?"

"You wish for Enrique to give you a massage eh? What time? Where?"

He sounded like he was full of himself. In her experience, men who talked of themselves like Enrique just had, were egomaniacs. She was ready to take him down a peg or six.

"How 'bout three this afternoon? I want to be relaxed before I hit the town tonight. My hotel room alright with you?"

"Enrique thinks that can be arranged."

"Wonderful. And we can discuss your payment then."

"Yes, Senorita."

Tara wanted to gag, but she said her good byes before she hung up.

* * *

On the other end of town, Enrique smoothly sipped his blue Cadillac margarita as he sat against a white leather sofa. Raoul Villareagos, his grandfather and the head of the whole cartel, and Anthony, 'Tony,' Villareagos were there holding a meeting about the plans for the drug shipment… Then suddenly, his uncle Manuel Villareagos came busting in his penthouse hotel room in Los Angeles.

"Has anyone here seen Diego?" Manuel spoke as he entered into the hotel room.

"No… Why? Has he screwed up again?" Came from Tony… Who didn't have much faith in his relative.

"Rumor has it, he was kidnapped," Manuel said as he flopped down into a white plush lounge chair.

"What?" Raoul, the grandfather chimed in.

"Yeah, seems someone claimed that you and that mess of a woman were coming in to LA. The driver said he worked for her and Diego was supposed to go with him to the airport to pick you two up…"

"He never arrived…" The tall, 'Latin Lover Enrique,' spoke from his seat.

"What does he look like?" Tony asked as he went for another cup of coffee after his late night the night before of partying.

"They said he had red hair, fair skin, and spoke English," Really, none of them were aware that Quinn had been wearing a disguise. The red hair was a wig… The hitter's real hair was a chestnut color and the man had even worn colored contacts to throw everyone off.

"Diego has become a liability; find him and take care of it," Raoul ordered; he was head of the cartel and no one dared disobey him.

"I'll call when it's done," Manuel said as he got up.

"No, I want Tony to go."

"Yes, grandfather," Tony put down his coffee mug. "I'll call when it's done."

"Good boy."

"How are we with the shipment?" Raoul asked Enrique.

"It set sail yesterday, should be here on the fifteenth."

"Excellent…"

"Yes it is, it will be on the streets by Thanksgiving and there will be plenty to last us until Christmas, maybe even into the New Year."

"Wonderful… What happened to the woman Manuel mentioned?"

"She was a liability. I dumped her."

"Did you dispose of her?"

"No… She didn't get to the plane in time so I dumped her."

"My grandson, that didn't make her a liability; that made her a fucking nightmare. I want her disposed of, you got me? You don't know what she might have overheard. She could blow a hole in our little operation here," little operation was an understatement; the cartel was huge!

"Yes, grandfather."

Enrique didn't want to have to clean up his mistake, but he didn't dare defy his grandfather. And truth be told… The old man was right; he had no idea what she'd been listening in on or put together herself. If she was allowed to roam free, God only knew what she could to them, and she was a woman scorned… Yet, getting to her was going to prove to be difficult since she was in jail on several charges…


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N - These next 3 chapters were a LABOR of LOVE for you all in honor of the Labor Day Weekend!**

**I hope you all like them! Enjoy your weekend and the holiday! Please REVIEW!**

* * *

Parker heated up the leftovers and they ate some Focaccia bread that she made into garlic bread. The three of them ate and it was kind of a quiet meal… Eliot wasn't exactly in a great mood. Parker figured that he was mad that she and Sophie had tickled him, or he was plotting his revenge… She figured the latter was true the way he narrowed his eyes at her and the grifter from time to time. Well anyway, after the meal, Sophie took Eliot out to the porch with a couple quilts. She went back to the kitchen and rinsed the dishes from lunch before she put them into the dishwasher. With some time on her own, she went into Eliot's room and changed the sheets to a cool, darker pumpkin orange and the coverlet was a milky dark brown like an earthy brown with fall leaves in reds, oranges, yellows, and even darker reds cascading in swirls like an unseen wind was blowing them across the material. The pillow cases had the same floating leaf look. Then she went up and changed her bed clothing as well. Parker figured that Sophie had at least planned to stay the night to possibly go home in the morning. She hadn't really needed her there at the farm that soon, but she was glad that the grifter had come. Getting Eliot out of the truck would have been harder on her as well as the hitter. She sat down in the window seat and took a moment to breathe…

Sophie had thanked Eliot for the meal for lunch and she had inwardly cringed. Eliot didn't accept the credit for the meal and stated it was made by a buddy of his from his cooking school days. He'd called him to help make meals since Parker couldn't cook and his arm was still wrapped in the soft cast when they'd first gotten there. His buddy loaded up the fridge for weeks so no one had to worry about chopping, stirring, or grilling… She had to admit that hearing Eliot tell Sophie that she couldn't cook kind of hurt. Maybe that had been a small way of getting his revenge on her for tickling him in the truck… But then she had wanted to keep the fact that she could cook from the team anyway, so she couldn't be too upset at him. The grifter seemed to believe what the hitter had told her. One of her big ideas by having Beretta and family come to the house was going to be her culinary debut to the team and everyone… She remembered that one of her intentions had been to have a house full of people and lots of food… Then she went to her closet, picked out a plain ivory turtleneck, and a black cardigan to wear for dinner.

Parker changed into the clothing and then went down to the kitchen. She could see that the living room was empty before she assumed Sophie and Eliot were still on the porch. Then the blond thief pulled out her red notebook from its special place in one of the drawers. On the counter, she started flipping through the pages… She was looking for a meal; something on the fancier side… She was going to make sure she knocked those socks off his feet again; she hoped she could impress Eliot and at the very least, Sophie. It might even sell her more on the culinary buddy of Eliot's bringing food to the house. A visit to the refrigerator told her she didn't have the whole young chicken defrosted that she'd need to do rotisserie chicken. So, pork chops were substituted instead. After a stop to put her plain apron, not the, 'Kiss the Cook,' one on to protect her clothing, she whipped up the egg wash and then went for the flour to make the coating to dip the pork chops in. With her special blend of spices mixed into the white coating, she started to stir the flour a little so the spices didn't clump in one area of the flour. A frying pan was placed on the stove and vegetable oil was heated…

* * *

Sophie offered to help clear the table after the meal and Parker told her not to worry about it and to go outside and visit with Eliot. So the grifter did as the thief wanted… She parked Eliot's wheelchair a few feet from the porch swing where the Halloween decoration had last been. It wasn't too cold at all but it sure had the potential to be as the sun fell towards the western horizon. She put the foot rests up for him and Eliot scooted himself close to the edge of the seat before he pushed up with a cane in his left hand. He stood and the grifter put her arm around his waist to support the hitter as he moved to the swing.

"Thanks," Eliot uttered and she covered his lap with a doubled quilt; he already had a jacket on.

She sat down next to him, a foot of space between them, and the other quilt went on her lap; her leather gloved hands went into her pockets and balled into fists.

"Now, I want you to tell Auntie Sophie, how are you doing, darling."

"Auntie Sophie?" His eyebrow arched with a smirk.

"Well yes, don't you think those adorable step-children of your step-sister's need an Auntie Sophie?"

He seemed to think it over for maybe twenty seconds…

"Maybe, but you'll have to talk to my step-sister."

"Fine then, darling. What's going on with you? I saw the soft cast on your right arm is off."

"Yeah, I still have to have it wrapped with an ace bandage for a few more weeks."

"That's great, Eliot."

"It's so damn great, I'm whistlin' Dixie from my ass," Sophie could tell there was something deeper in the brooding mood he was in.

"I take it you're upset still because Parker and I tickled you…" that earned her nothing… "Is it because you have to be here at Parker's farm instead of your former apartment?"

'Bingo,' Sophie thought as she saw a light switch flip in the hitter's face.

"What…? What did you just say…?"

* * *

'She couldn't have just said what I thought she said…' Eliot thought as he waited for Sophie's response.

This… This place was Parker's? No… It couldn't be. Why would Parker want to own a farm? He began to think about how the surroundings didn't match the blond thief. Then he realized; there was more that he didn't know about Parker, besides her craziness and silly bikinis… Like the fact that she could cook, simply, but she could cook. It took years of study to get up on his level of culinary skill, but there was room for improvement if she wanted to learn.

"Parker bought this place before there was a twinkle in Dr. Milton's eye to let you come home."

"Why?"

"Why? I don't know for sure what her plans were, but what I do know is that we all decided you needed looking after and we thought you might be at peace out of the city, that you'd relax and heal."

"But this… Dammit, this doesn't suit her; she likes free falling from skyscrapers… Not sitting on a tractor in the hot summer sun."

"Maybe you should take a second look at her. You see that barn over there, the one with the windows on the second floor…?" She asked.

"Yeah…"

"She had it custom built to have an office and place to test harnesses she's designed on the inside. You've seen the farm house… She's decorated the guest rooms for all of us. And look, she went to the trouble of having the property decorated for the holiday coming up."

"Just proves my point… None of this is like Parker."

The more Sophie spoke, the more he realized the whole team had lied to him while he'd been in the hospital; lied by omission and that made him brood just a little deeper. Why had they been keeping this farm a secret from him in all the time that had passed? But the grifter said they thought he would have been more at peace. His mind was telling him that he would've been just as at peace in his own place in the city… What was Parker's plan…? She'd told him that he had to stay at the farm until he was well enough to leave. Knowing she was crazy, he wondered if her true underlying plan was to keep him there for an adequate period of time and as such he wouldn't want to leave… Just how did he feel about that…? Because at that point that he wouldn't want to leave would he try to force himself to leave anyway? He'd hurt her already enough, yet there was a whole life he had built away from Parker and he couldn't just give it up for her… But he had to for the time being to get well…

* * *

Sophie worried that she'd blown Parker's chances of hooking up with the hitter now that she'd let it spill that the large piece of property belonged to the thief. She noticed that Eliot kind of zoned out and left her alone in the conversation as they swung like a pendulum on the porch swing. Nate would probably be a little annoyed that she was interfering between Eliot and Parker, but she thought someone needed to. She knew that Parker would soon be leaving for California. He would be devastated, angry, and might be out for blood because the crazy thief had been keeping everyone but Hardison, Tara, and Quinn out of the loop. She had hoped that Parker would have gone to Nate for help since he was the team's mastermind, but she hadn't. The grifter wondered what was wrong with Nate that he hadn't tried to intervene either… Well, anyone of them should have tried to get through to Parker, but the blond woman was crazy and a maverick none of them could really control when the thief wanted her way…

"I know we all don't get Parker; she's one of a kind. I think we ground her when she's around us. We give her the stability she never had growing up. I keep her as close to me as she will allow. I don't seek her out… She comes to me. I have learned of her only what she will allow me to know. Perhaps you should allow her to come to you and see what you can find out about the real Parker…"

"That's not me, Soph. I don't need more crazy in my life… My life is already crazy enough. I told her we were friends and she knows we're teammates… She wants me to say that we're good friends… I don't know if I'd go that far but I agreed with her to continue to get a point across in the discussion we had."

"Yes, we know you Eliot… And that's why we tried to give you a little less crazy by moving you out here."

"But leaving me alone here with her; twenty four, seven? Not a good idea, Sophie."

"Come on, darling, has it really been that bad?"

"You seriously have no idea what I've been through since I got here…"

"Eliot, you have a roof over your head and a soft place to lay your head. You get to cook and rest…"

* * *

The hitter wanted so much to tell her that he hadn't gotten to cook one iota until Parker let him help cut up the fixings for her tacos, which then lead to the eating contest that left him over stuffed; or the fact that she'd dress up in different bikinis when it was time for a meal… And that she'd rubbed her front side all over his backside… But no… He kept it all to himself. Eliot thought about what Sophie had said and no, he didn't need to know the real Parker. He was happy keeping her at a distance… It was better that way so she didn't get hurt… Just like he had to keep Aimee at a distance when he came back and found that she'd found someone else. He'd put walls up to protect his own heart to and he hoped he'd given her the chance to move on. Well, time apart from her hadn't worked; he'd discovered that when he agreed to help her father get his stables back. He'd kissed her and she'd thrown him against the stall door and kissed him back; he wasn't sure why, because she'd been against him since she found out he was at the stables.

They had kissed for a while and gotten into some petting, but then she'd stopped him. She couldn't get involved with him again, just couldn't. Aimee told him that he should settle down with someone just like his friend Parker because he'd never run out of excitement. He'd told her no; that Parker wasn't the kind of girl he wanted. He wanted a simple country girl like her. Then she'd told him no, girls like her were too boring for a man who'd probably seen the world; thanks to Uncle Sam. The horsewoman hit him hardest with what she said last that meeting in the stall. She'd told him that if he wanted a country girl like her, he would have tried harder to come back to her and not stayed away so long after he'd fulfilled his duty to the U.S. government. Eliot let her walk away after that… He realized he was still putting walls up to keep Parker out like he had Aimee. But Aimee had been normal… Parker wasn't normal. But then the grifter had made him think…

Parker had tried to act a little less crazy with trying to be more domestic and she'd bought a farm! And yeah, the dressing up in bikini's and bathing him the way she had been a kind of reminder that she was still crazy, he noticed that she'd been a bit more toned down since they'd had the talk about being good friends and what kinds of things friends did for each other… And that somehow oddly worried him.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N - Hardison and Tara go to War! **

**The action gets busy! Hope you like it and please REVIEW!**

* * *

After the call to Enrique Villareagos, Tara and Hardison went about setting up the special suite he stole from the hotel, with appropriately placed audio and visual equipment. There were things that were probably going to be put on audio and video she would prefer remained between the grifter and her mark, so she made Hardison swear to destroy anything that wasn't relevant to the case. He agreed, but only because he was a married man and wasn't too interested in the hitter's girlfriend's sex tape. He also agreed not to say a word to Quinn if anything like that occurred or she threatened to gut him from navel to chin… And she could because the hitter had taught her how. So, they set up a massage table… They agreed she wasn't going to be at too much of a risk, even though being naked and on a table face down left her very vulnerable. This was just to be their first meeting. Her objective was to get him to want her as his rich new girlfriend… Maybe even buy some drugs from him if it sold her part a little more. Then Hardison could use the drug deal to send to the police… Because she was FBI Special Agent Tanya Kale and it might help in the case of nailing Diego Rodriguez for drug trafficking.

Tara poured herself some sparkling apple cider into a champagne flute to look like champagne and then opened a bottle of the real stuff. She needed to be without a buzz, and keep her wits about her, but she was an excellent grifter and decided to fake being just slightly tipsy. She set the bottle back into the ice bucket and had a tray of fruits, cheeses, with cucumber slices nearby for her eyes to make it look like she was having a spa day. Then Hardison left once he'd tested his equipment. The grifter went to her room and changed into a white terry cloth robe. She thought her body would be more of a temptation if she didn't wear underwear for the massage… And since he was so full of himself, it would be a no brainer on his part to be tempted to get fresh with her. She relaxed and drank a little of her sparkling apple cider while snacking on some strawberries and a small slice of soft white cheese.

_"You all set," Hardison spoke into her ear._

_"Yes, any signs?"_

_"He's coming up in the elevator now."_

_"Showtime."_

* * *

A few minutes later there was a quick two rap tap on the door to the suite Hardison set her up in. One quick stop to check her make-up in the mirror by the door and she opened it. There he stood, Enrique Villareagos. He looked sharp in a white Armani suit with a black dress shirt under, metal framed Ray-Ban sunglasses, full head of hair, and sharp black shoes. He had a bag sitting next to one leg. She thought he reminded her of John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever.

_"Hello, I'm Tanya. You must be the Enrique I've heard so much about," she said and offered her hand for him to kiss as she knew he would…_

_"It is true, I am, 'The,' Enrique," and he kissed her offered hand. "I am here to relax you… Make you feel good."_

'Oh gag me with a spoon,' Tara thought but didn't let her face show it.

_"Please, come in so we can get started. I had the hotel set up a table for us. I wasn't sure if you had your own."_

_"Enrique doesn't mind," he was the same height so she though that he probably thought he had the advantage over her._

_"What do you charge?"_

_"What would you like Enrique to do to you?"_

_"Well, I'll get on the table then."_

Tara disrobed and stretched out on her chest before she reached back and covered herself with a sheet.

* * *

Hardison looked away to get a fresh bottle of orange soda from the mini fridge and missed Tara stripping down; he was there to watch as Enrique stripped though. He took off the suit coat and draped it over the back of the four person sofa in the room. Then he took off his dress shirt and put it with the coat. He reached into his bag and pulled out a bottle of mineral oil. There were times that he hated his job… In the meantime he was busy putting up information about Tanya Kramer on the internet. Tara just Parker'd Sophie's character's last name from when they set up Eliot's step-mother to save time for the hacker.

_"So, how did such a beautiful woman get Enrique's number?"_

_"Oh you know… I ran into a doctor at a bar and he said he had a cousin that was a masseuse. I told him I was glad to find that out. Then he gave me your number. Oh, that feels great," she moaned when he hit a particular spot that tensed up a lot on her back._

_"Yes, yes, Enrique is good," Hardison knew by his facial expressions that the man had figured out that she'd talked to Diego Rodriguez. "Yes, Enrique has a cousin that is a doctor."_

_"Great. Great… I bet you know all the hot spots around here to go clubbing at, don't you?"_

_"Enrique could hook you up… For a price."_

_"How much would it cost little ol' me?" Hardison smirked, she was pouring on the sweetness._

_"You let Enrique buy you your first drink in town."_

_"That would be perfect… And you'll take me out dancing and checking out all the clubs in the area?"_

_"Yes, Enrique will do that for the beautiful lady."_

* * *

Tara couldn't believe how incredibly easy it had been to grift her mark, and that Enrique had been so gullible. She let herself go a bit as he worked over her back… He was only a gentleman until she felt his hand move up her thigh and under the sheet.

_"Whoa there partner, that's not what I'm paying for today," she tried to sort of put her foot down._

_"You don't want Enrique's Internal Special?"_

_"No, not today I think. You're already turning me into jelly and I'm not going to be able to dance the night away if I agree to what you're suggesting."_

_"You want Enrique another time?"_

_"I will have to check my schedule, but I'll squeeze you in sometime this week. How's that?"_

_"Enrique would be delighted to serve the beautiful lady._

_"Wonderful then. What time would you like to pick me up?"_

_"The Enrique will send a car for you at seven and we will eat before we party. You must rest now."_

_"Yes. I'm sure you'll have a busy night planned," Tara sat up and wrapped the towel around her as the creep watched._

She knew Hardison would get a good view as well, but it was all for the job she reminded herself. She stood and found her purse. She pulled out a one hundred dollar bill from her wallet and folded it. Then he was behind her and he dove in and took a liberty of his own by placing a kiss on the nape of her neck.

_"Consider this a down payment on tonight," she said after she turned to face him._

_"Enrique will be happy to. See you tonight…"_

He took the money and put it in the pocket of his slacks as he walked to where he'd ditched his shirt and suit coat. He dressed and packed up his bag before he went to the door. Tara opened it and he took her free hand. The Latin lover kissed her hand once more.

_"Until tonight… Enrique is leaving to go make awesome plans."_

_"I can't wait," Tara reeled him in by placing a kiss to his cheek._

'I will have to wash my mouth with Lysol to get his germs off,' Tara thought.

* * *

Once he was gone, she ran off to the shower in the bathroom of the suite. Enrique couldn't hear her in there. She turned on the shower just in case.

_"Mission objective is completed for now. I still have about three hours on my own until the car comes for me at seven," she told Hardison. "I didn't need him groping my front, at least not yet."_

_"Whoa mama, didn't need to hear that. Good goin' anyway. Quinn can keep a distant eye on you through the night if you want."_

_"No, I can handle Enrique. God! He drives me crazy with the, Enrique does this or Enrique does that. I know he's playing stupid for me, but if we can get drug trafficking evidence off of this guy… It's all worth it."_

_"We're here with you. You're sure you don't want Quinn to tail you?"_

_"No Alec. It'll only make him mad and more possessive. Think of how Eliot gets when he gets mad and that's close to what Quinn's like. I can't risk hickies and bite marks all over my body from another man if I'm trying to get into Enrique's circle."_

_"After you leave I'll set up extra security just in case he has a team to come in and bug the suite. If we have to I just might let him listen in to rambling conversations between you and Sophie with an accent to throw them off. We already have just a little about what you do for a livin' on the net, if he wants you checked out, but nothing too serious. Just enough to find out you've got money to mine."_

_"Might be good to tell him I don't want to tell him what I do for work, that I only want fun… He'll check me out then to make sure I'm not an agent or cop. At some point I will have to show him I'm not wearing a wire."_

_"My ear buds are small enough to not get caught. If they do, then baby, I failed my profession."_

_"Now, I have to rest a while. I can't be seen out on the street yet because he told me to rest. I imagine he's going to try and wear me down until I need some kind of drug to keep the party going."_

_"Then he's gonna swoop in like yo' savior and take you from the desert to the oasis."_

_"Exactly, he's gonna try and sell me something. So, I will need some funds later for that sale."_

_"Already there babe, you hooked up."_

_"Until tonight then. Where is Quinn by the way?"_

_"He's out of range at the moment. He doesn't have his ear bud in either."_

_"Shit… I hate it when he gets like this…" Tara knew Quinn was off sulking somewhere…_


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N - Tara goes to War...**

**Hope you like it and have a great Labor Day!**

**Please REVIEW when you finish partying this weekend!**

* * *

The pork chops went into the oven on a low heat to finish cooking. Then she cut up some red potatoes and put them on a baking sheet before she sprinkled some vegetable oil on them. A little seasoning and they went into the upper oven as they had four of them. That was one of the custom builds she had put in. The other was the professional two sided, double wide, stainless steel refrigerator. She'd lost some storage space, but it made the kitchen more open that way. She set the timer and went about making the chocolate cake she'd planned to celebrate Eliot's milestone… He was one step closer to fully getting his legs back and she felt that needed to be celebrated. 'Cause if you didn't celebrate the good times then the bad ones could drag you down. The cake went in and timer was set. What to do next? She decided to put a roast together for the next night. She took the meat out and set about searing the outside of the meat. Then when the slab was properly precooked, Parker put the meat into the Crock*Pot on the counter. The pot was big enough to feed an army. A rough cut of some vegetables and they were tossed in before she put a package of onion soup in with the right amount of water as well. She clamped the sides into the lid, plugged it in, and put it on high.

By the time she finished all that, the cake was ready. She pulled it out and let it cool on a baking rack. She was so proud of herself and glad that she'd learned the cooking skills she had… Even though she didn't see the reason why she had to in the beginning, and it was almost like pulling hen's teeth to start, she grew to like the cooking classes the Juvenile Hall made her take. While she waited for the cake to cool so she could take it out of the two pans, she pulled some petite green beans from the refrigerator and sautéed them with some garlic butter. When those were finished, she put them in a Pyrex glass dish and put them in the unused oven. Though she turned the heat on really low to keep them warm. Parker grabbed a container of chocolate frosting from the pantry and nuked it in the microwave for thirty seconds at a time to soften it enough to spread. She cut off the uneven parts on the tops of the cakes and stacked one on top of the other onto a rotating cake stand. And before she knew it, she had the cake frosted and decorated with chocolate via an icing knife. She put a dome on it and left it out of the way on a counter. Parker wrote, 'Congrats Eliot,' on it in white frosting from a premade tube and she'd put a couple candles on it later. She set the table and began putting her meal on plates to eat when she heard Sophie call out…

"Parker, what is that smell?"

"Nothing… Just some dinner I heated up that Eliot's friend left. He left me instructions on how to heat it up without burning it."

"Does that mean what I think it means?" The grifter asked as she rolled Eliot up to the head of the table.

"Depends on what you think it means… If you think it means dinner is ready then yeah, it's what you think it means."

The thief didn't spare an eyelash in Eliot's direction as she brought out Sophie's plate and put it on top of a larger round plate. Then she served the hitter… Parker whisked away to the kitchen before he could offer any comments.

"I hope you don't mind, all I've got on tap tonight is sparkling cider. That okay with everyone?"

"Sounds perfect, darling."

* * *

Sophie stayed out with Eliot a while longer and they talked some about his mother, but mostly about the father he'd lost. He hadn't wanted to talk but the grifter was good at her job and got him to open up a little more. After a while he took a short nap on her lap. God, she missed Nate! She missed stroking her fingers through his hair while he rested; much like Eliot was while she stroked her fine Italian leather covered fingers through his hair. She took in as much of the beautiful scenery that she could see from the porch swing to get her mind off of everything. Yes, Eliot would be a bloody idiot if he didn't take Parker up on her offer to stay at the farm with her when he was back to good. Then Sophie got a whiff of something that smelled really good… She hated to but she woke the hitter up with a growl in her stomach.

"What say we go investigate whatever those smells are?" She asked him after he sat up straight.

"What smell?"

* * *

"Something's cooking in there and it smells bloody great."

"Parker's probably heating something that my friend brought."

"Maybe we should check on her and make sure she doesn't burn down the house."

"I agree," the hitter replied.

Sophie helped get him back into the wheelchair without too much trouble. It wasn't a coincidence that she wheeled him up to the head of the table where Parker usually sat. Fortunately, all the dishes were the same so the place setting wasn't all that special to the naked eye. Sophie wanted them to sit with Parker across from her and Eliot at the head of the table; the thief to his left and her to his right instead of the way they sat at lunch. At lunch, Parker had been at the far end of the table and Sophie and Eliot had been on the other; across from each other. She hadn't understood why Parker wanted to sit so far away from the hitter and her; but didn't bring it up because she figured the thief was being not normal again.

* * *

Eliot figured that Sophie must have used one of her mind tricks on him again because she'd gotten him to talk about the family he rarely mentioned and his recent loss. He noticed she had definitely gone into her Doctor Head-Shrink persona to get him to open up. He said no at first, but then she must have worn him down until he started to spill some of his guts… After he'd told her some things but none of the nasty stuff, he felt so tired and he nodded off. Oddly enough, he didn't dream of his father, or his mother, not even Parker. What he dreamt about was getting up on a horse again and going for a long ride to think; to get away from the stress and do nothing but ride and think. He wasn't sure why he had that dream and it didn't sound like a bad idea anyway. Maybe he could talk Parker into getting a horse or two for him to ride and help build up his legs again. And then some time later he woke up to a growl he'd heard in his ear… He woke up immediately after that. He couldn't believe he'd slept so long and on the grifter no less. He hoped she'd kept what she heard to herself. Sophie was talking of investigating some smell that hadn't hit him yet. Then five seconds later, he smelled meat and garlic butter. Parker was up to something… He'd been hoping she would have allowed him to make dinner for Sophie and her. So much for that occurrence… Then the grifter took him inside and put him at the head of the table.

'Well, thanks for being clearly so unsubtle Soph,' he thought.

Then he heard the banter between the grifter and the thief… Did he need to make up an explanation on how Parker knew how to understand the instructions the friend of his left behind? Or would Sophie just assume that he told her what each word meant? Eliot decided he'd wait and let the grifter ask if she wanted to know instead of coming out with it. Then he got his plate and he couldn't believe what was in front of him. It really was a professionally-styled Chef's plate. He personally would have decorated it a little better but the two pork chops were up on their sides, bones leaning against each other, and they were thick cut. Then the red potatoes were placed like little islands around the plate and the petite green beans were leaning up against the tips of the pork chop bones, like they were almost holding them up. There was some kind of yellow drizzled here and there around the plate and he assumed that was some of the left over garlic butter. Master Chef Eliot Spencer cut into one chop, forked the morsel, and placed it in his mouth. His taste buds went into a foodgasm right then and there. The meat was juicy; not in the slightest bit of over cooked and the outside coating was delicious. The green beans were rather tasty and not too limp. To top it off the red potatoes with the garlic butter was almost to die for… The inner fighter inside Eliot was like, 'Bring It On, Parker!' Someday, no bones about it, he was going to have to teach her the finer points of fine dining and being a Chef.

"Oh my goodness, your friend can cook Eliot. I do appreciate you Parker for getting help from Eliot… This is just wonderful. I know that Nate would like this meal as well. Tell me Eliot, do you think your friend would mind becoming a personal Chef for Nate and I?"

"Um, No!" Parker butted in.

"Dammit, she asked me Parker!"

"Well, he told me before he left that he doesn't do that private party kinda thing. He only was helpin' Eliot out 'cause he was injured."

"I'll see what I can do…" Eliot responded…

* * *

Parker tried not to visibly pout but that didn't stop her from narrowing her eyes at the hitter. So he was going to play that game was he? Well, then, she wasn't going to cook for the grifter and the mastermind when he returned. She was no personal Chef and he wasn't going to turn her into one. No way. She liked the simple way she cooked. She wondered if he even deserved any cake that night… Then Parker a case of the giggles as the idea suddenly popped in her head to hit him in the face with the cake…

* * *

Five thirty in the evening, Tara started to get ready with a bath even after the shower she'd taken after Enrique had massaged her back. She took a bath and relaxed a bit before she hand washed her hair in the shower across the room. Then she dressed and put her white terry cloth robe back on over her dress to protect it from her make-up. But the grifter did her hair first before she went on to beautify her face even more than it needed to be. It wasn't so glam that it was over the top. But she looked good and ready to party. Her dress was a re-imagined red flapper dress of the past. The sections were diagonal instead of horizontal and they moved when she twirled; her red high, 'Fuck Me,' heels almost completed the look. She wore diamond and ruby choker and some earrings with the same stones to finish her off. Just as she finished, the clock said 6:50. The driver was a hair early. She figured Enrique didn't like anyone who made him late. She grabbed her clutch with nothing in it that might warn the masseuse that she was bad for his tastes. Inside she had five twenty dollar bills, some make-up for touch ups, and just for the hell of it, she put a large size condom; though she thought his cock was smaller than his brain. In between her legs toward her inner upper thigh she had a gun holster there with a small gun inside a pocked for emergencies if she needed a quick getaway.

* * *

Darrin walked her down to the car and drove her out to a restaurant just up the street from Union Station. It wasn't fancy and it was loud. There were lots of people scrambling to their cars everywhere and parking was so packed still. She spotted Enrique by the door. She walked up to him… As the limousine Enrique sent for her went up the street and turned around. It waited on the opposite side of the street as car after car left the parking lot.

_"Welcome to The Best dinner in town. I paid the people inside to leave. Let us go eat."_

_"Enrique, you shouldn't have spent all that money on me…"_

_"Come, you need food. Then we party."_

Tara gave in and went down the brown painted steps into a large room with a deli style counter at one end of the room. He took her to the booth some of his men she assumed were his were holding.

_"What would you have?"_

_"Just feed me… I'll eat just about anything, Big Boy," Tara knew it was cringe worthy but she had to build up his ego…_

_"As you wish, Enrique will feed you much tonight…"_

'This is for my team, this is for my team,' the grifter thought in her head to keep her cool.

So off the Latin lover went to go get food with a couple of his minions. It didn't take long for a French dipped roast beef sandwich appeared in front of her with potato salad and some kind of baked beans she thought.

_"Eat, it is good. Enrique says it is good."_


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N - Howdy everyone!**

**It's your favorite time of the week again!**

**These 3 updates are dedicated to my AM Coffee Crew heading to Kentucky to drool over that Country Boy Love God we all love!**

**These 3 updates are also dedicated to Spring Raine who needs lots of love and prayers right now!**

**A/N - Eliot just can't take a joke and he upsets Parker...**

**Sophie comforts a friend...**

**I hope you enjoy it and I can't wait to read your REVIEWS to Parker...! She thinks they're like cereal and she likes cereal.**

* * *

Parker decided last minute that she couldn't withhold dessert from the grifter; and by default the hitter too. She had made the cake for him in the first place… Sophie and Eliot ate their last bites of food and then the woman they considered crazy, disappeared into the kitchen with all the dishes in a couple of trips. She put a few spiraled candles in different colors on the chocolate cake. Fortunately for Eliot, they weren't the kind that could suddenly reignite. She and Sophie might have gotten a kick out of it if the candles had been as such, but the hitter would have gotten mad and possibly have just smashed the cake out of spite. Then she retrieved the cake knife from the drawer and set it on the table next to where her drinking glass was. With one last trip to the kitchen, Parker lit the candles and carried the cake on the spinning cake stand out to the table.

"What's this?" Eliot immediately said.

"It's beautiful," Sophie commented. "What are we celebrating, Parker?"

"Make a wish, Sparky, but don't tell anyone or it won't come true. Then blow them out."

He didn't look like he understood, but she watched his expressions and she interpreted them to mean that he might actually be taking her, 'Make a wish,' idea seriously. Then he blew them out as a flash went off; Sophie snuck out a cell phone and used it for the camera. Just as quickly, the grifter put the cell phone down and clapped a little in celebration. Parker handed Eliot the knife before she dove in and pulled out the candles.

"Cut it, cut it, cut it," the blond thief began to chant as she moved the cake knife closer to Eliot.

"Alright Parker, hold your horses," Eliot spoke as he picked up the wooden handle.

"I don't have horses. I don't like them, you know that."

"Parker, he didn't mean literally," Sophie explained.

"Oh… I'll be back," she got up and left the dining room.

A couple minutes later she returned with three small dessert plates and a new set of forks for the three of them. She sat down and Eliot started to place cake on its side on each plate.

* * *

Eliot wasn't sure what the thief had been up to when she suddenly appeared with a chocolate cake on a stand; and more unsure when he saw the, 'Congrats Eliot,' on it. What was there to congratulate him for? He hadn't done anything as far as he could tell. Parker had ignored Sophie's question about what they were celebrating with telling him to make a wish…

'Make a wish'…? It wasn't his birthday…' He thought.

So he honestly tried to think of something, but something he could live with and not have to tell Sophie or Parker. He decided on a wish that he wouldn't want to stay at the farm after he was done healing. What the hitter didn't know was that there were forces greater at work than just a silly little wish on five candles in a chocolate cake; greater, 'unseen,' forces that could make things happen like allowing his dead father to come visit him on Halloween… He blew the candles out and noticed the flash. Eliot figured the grifter was probably recording the event for the others who couldn't be there because of some greedy drug cartel members. He told Parker to hold her horses and knew he was probably in for another reciting of how she didn't like horses, and she didn't disappoint. He mentally sighed…

'When was she going to be normal?' He thought; and of course Sophie came to his rescue.

Then the hitter served up the chocolate cake with the chocolate frosting on each plate. Parker came along and moved the dessert out of the way before she sat back down. They each took a bite… The two women looked like they were having a foodgasm, their eyes rolled several times with each serial bite, and he thought they were being ridiculous. But then again once he savored the cake himself, he wasn't too upset to find that the cake was indeed moist, not an ounce of dryness or clumps from the dough not getting mixed properly. Then he just gave in since it was two to one and mentally agreed it was a good effort at a cake for Parker. He had no idea that it hadn't really been her first.

"Now, Parker, what are we celebrating?"

"That you are one step closer to getting your legs back, that's all."

"How nice of you, Parker, that was sweet of you."

"Eliot's friend made the cake. I just supplied the pyrotechnics."

"I believe that was a good excuse for cake, and a delicious chocolate one at that, darling," Sophie spoke. "Don't you think so, Eliot?"

"Yeah, he's good. His specialty was desserts at the school."

"I didn't mean that, Eliot, I meant about the celebration of you moving closer to getting your legs back," Sophie announced before she savored another bite.

* * *

"I don't think eating cake for me is a worthy cause. It's just dessert," Eliot could see the disappointed looks in the two female faces. "But thanks for thinkin' of me."

"Fine, we'll call you Eeyore from now on… You haven't earned being a Bear yet. Nate's the Owl and Hardison… He could be maybe Piglet…"

"What am I then, Parker?" Sophie asked.

"You'd be Kanga, I think. Someday you'll have a Roo."

"Thank you, Parker. I hope so too. Tara could be Rabbit maybe… Nobody really likes Rabbit but they tolerate him. I can tell you don't know if like Tara but you all tolerate her because she can do her job."

"I guess that either makes you Winnie the Pooh or Tigger," Eliot reasoned.

"I'll take Tigger. Archie can be Winnie the Pooh."

"No, I have a better idea, darlings… Eliot might as well just stay Oscar the Grouch… That way he won't have to be an ass and he can still be as grouchy as he wants."

"But I thought Eeyore was a donkey with a missing tail that they had to pin back on him…"

"Like you know who any of those characters was, Parker," Eliot tossed at the thief.

That one sentence must have broken something inside the blond woman, because she stood and took the cake the rest of the way back into the kitchen. On immediate reflection, he saw something happen in her eyes and saw that he'd hurt her somehow.

'Dammit!' He thought.

* * *

Sophie could feel her blood beginning to boil as she saw what had just occurred.

"Bloody hell, Eliot, we were just having fun. And you just had to go and knock it all down; just as if it were someone you had to fight. Maybe Parker isn't the only one I should advise on how to have feelings," she uttered before she stood, picked up hers, Parker's dessert plate, and took them back to the kitchen.

"Maybe she should learn how not to be so sensitive," Eliot threw back at her with a sarcastic tone.

"Oh, go to hell, Eliot," she yelled as she put the plates in the sink before she reached for and took Parker into her arms for a hug.

"Probably will considering what I've done in my life," she heard the hitter yell toward the kitchen.

Then a few moments later while she held Parker; she heard a door slam. She hoped he went to bed. He was probably tired from the visit to the doctor but it still gave him no right to verbally abuse the blond thief. She didn't deserve it after all the things she'd been through up to that point. Sophie knew her history from when the woman had sat with him almost day after day, by his side, hoping he'd recover. Maybe it had been a bad idea to let it slip that the farm was Parker's. What if the hitter had snapped at talented thief because of what she'd said on the porch? Bloody hell! She didn't want to feel guilty about the situation, but Parker on her shoulder pulled at her heartstrings.

"Come on, love, let's go put you to bed. You've had a long day and tomorrow we all can start out fresh," the grifter offered.

"Don't mind me," the thief voiced as she backed up. "I'll do the dishes and then go to bed; you go on to your guest room. You know the one with the Egyptian statuettes."

"No, Parker, let me. I know how to fill and run a dishwasher, love. Go rest," Sophie wanted her to relax. "And remember, he's worth it."

"I know."

Truthfully, that's why Sophie decided to come visit last minute. Parker said she wasn't supposed to come until the morning of the seventh, but the grifter had heard something in the younger woman's voice when she called. So she decided to visit a little sooner. The older woman placed a kiss on Parker's left temple and then turned her in the direction she needed to go.

"Good night, Tigger," she hoped to cheer her up a little.

"Good night, Kanga," Parker turned and flashed her one last smile before she headed to the stairs.

* * *

Parker went up to her room, with her wonderful little idea to celebrate Eliot's milestone, dashed. In some way, she had a feeling he was going to throw it back in her face. What did her in though was the fact that he assumed she didn't know who any of the characters had been; and that's what hurt. How dare he presume that she didn't know them at all? She'd gotten to see some things in her lifetime, she'd gotten to see and know who all of the characters were. Whether by looking through vents at foster kids watching the cartoon movies, watching Sesame Street, or stealing library books and going through the ducts to read them by flashlight at night when she couldn't sleep. She'd always have them returned before the head librarian returned in the morning. Archie was the one that told her she needed to read books that would help her in her career, but from time to time she snuck a book to cheat on her studies with. Of course then when she had failed at one of Archie's tests, he'd forced her to see her career was more important… And look where she was now… A full and infamous career; and no normal life. Parker sat on her bed for a minute and then went to get ready for bed. Once she'd taken care of her nightly routine, she'd gone and found her little notebook that she wrote down her intentions in for the new and full moons.

True there was a new moon coming. However, she was going to be busy stealing a shipment she wasn't supposed to have in the first place from some very bad men; and wouldn't have the time to set her new moon intentions down. The thought came to her and she wondered if she should do it anyway since she might not even have time to have a new moon ritual at all. It was practically guaranteed Eliot was going to still hate her for leaving him like she had planned to. So, in the interest of getting some sleep, she changed her mind and decided not to do anything for the November new moon, in San Francisco while she was there. She hid her notebook under her mattress because she didn't want to have to get up out of bed to hide it. The thief fluffed her pillow a bit and then leaned back onto it before she pulled Mr. Bunny to lie down next to her. She pulled the covers up to her pajama covered chest and tucked the covers just under the stuffed animal's nose so he could breathe too. She knew it was silly to believe that he could breathe, but it was fun to believe because she didn't have much she could really believe in. Then she fell asleep…


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N - Here we gooo!**

**Little surprises around every corner... **

**Enjoy and Love, love love REVIEWS!**

* * *

Tara ate her sandwich and found it wasn't half bad; however she had to sit there and watch Enrique eat two of them! And when she finished she went to the ladies' room to freshen up. She turned on all the water faucets to make some noise and then she let Hardison know that she was okay. When she returned, Enrique took her arm and they went out the front door instead of up the staircase she had come in on. The limousine was right there and waiting. She entered the car as Darrin held open the door for her and Enrique.

"Enrique wants to know if the lady enjoyed her meal. She didn't speak much during dinner."

"Yes, very much so. I've never been much of a talker while I eat, sorry."

"Enrique is glad. Now we go to party the night away."

"Great. So where are you taking me?"

"Enrique wants it to be a surprise."

'God! Gag me with a spoon,' she thought and tried to hide her expression.

She figured the goons were following in the black Escalade behind them. She'd noticed the vehicle behind the limousine… Tara figured Enrique had the extras to watch her while they went around clubbing because she figured that he would be the jealous type. Especially if she found another man to dance with while he was chilling in some dark, hole in the wall booth in the club, usually reserved for celebrities and important people.

* * *

Meanwhile, across Los Angeles, Quinn was having him a good time at a couple Gentlemen's clubs, and then he hit a couple of more low end strip clubs before he went for a drive around Griffith Park. He began to wonder if it was time to get out of the field of work he was in and try to convince Tara of the same. At some point, he would have to give it up because he'd get too old for taking such heavy hits. Maybe her looks might go… Maybe there wouldn't be much of a draw to a mark… Quinn sighed. He was tired of giving her off to other men or marks. Yes, they fought like cats and dogs from time to time when they were on different jobs close by; a love and hate thing. No more sharing her if they both made it out of this job the blond thief had planned… Then the hitter pulled his cell phone from his jeans pocket and dialed up the hacker…

"Where is she?"

"Whoa, where you been man? Been tryin' to reach you all day."

"Sorry, had to take care of some business."

"She's headed to the first club with the mark. So far it sounds like he hasn't laid a finger on her yet."

"He better not. Call me if she needs help. I have some errands to run before I turn in for the night."

"Sure man. Hey, you okay? You don't sound like yourself."

"Just keep your attention on her. I'm fine."

"Right dude, must be some secret hitter code not to talk to anyone."

"That's 'cause we can't trust anyone, especially geeky hackers who don't know when to shut up and do their jobs."

"Hey, that's cruel. Ah see how it is… Find someone else to do your dirty work then…"

"You just pay attention to your job, or I'll make sure you lose those delicate fingers you need so bad."

"Fine, fine. They're in the club. Time to play ball."

Quinn hung up because he didn't want to hear more. Then a half hour later he found himself in front of a 24 hour jewelry store open.

"Time to go shopping…" He spoke unto himself.

* * *

Tara walked into the first night club on Enrique's arm. He met someone who took them right to a booth in a dark corner where they could watch the action on the dance floor. She slid into the booth and Enrique squeezed in to sit on the end. Then two of his five goons sat at the other end of the wide horseshoe style table. She was trapped, unless she slipped under the table during a melee. At least Enrique allowed her to order herself a drink… She ordered something light that she knew she could handle without getting drunk. She watched Enrique relax a little in the booth and some of his friends came over to pay their respects. He didn't really bother to introduce her to anyone of them and she was okay with that. Besides, he didn't seem the type that would want to share her with anyone if they asked. Then after they'd been there a good hour, she leaned in so that he could hear over the loud music and the crowd of partiers, slightly feigning intoxication to get his attention…

"Oh Enrique… Do you mind if I really get this party started?" She asked with such saccharin in her voice that she was sure he could tell that she was a little inebriated.

"Enrique thinks the lady should party however she likes. Have a good time!" He yelled out into the loud noise of the club.

"Yeay,' she cheered.

Then the grifter opened her clutch, pulled out a little baggie of a powdery white substance, a small make-up mirror, a small Swiss Army knife, and a small section of a drinking straw. The substance was no more than a half of a teaspoon in amount and he had no idea that it was only powdered sugar. The desired emotion on Enrique's face was immediate. Out of the corner of her eye she could see him watch as she opened that little baggie and began to set herself up to take a hit up her nose. Of course the powdered sugar was nothing to Tara and she was going to feign having taken a hit of cocaine. The objective was to make Enrique consider taking her on as a client. She did also have the real thing in her clutch. If he wanted to take a hit of his own, she could pull out the real thing for him because she didn't have enough in the baggie she was using at the moment to share. And with any luck, by the end of the night he'd try to sell her more… So Tara took the hit of powdered sugar and then took a sip of her drink, before she did another line in the other nostril. She took another drink before she suddenly told her mark that she wanted to get out and dance… Enrique moved and let her out. She took her clutch with her just in case.

He led her onto the really full and busy dance floor. It didn't take her long to start feigning being high on the drugs he assumed she took. She really cut loose her inhibitions and began to bump and grind all over him like she would have with Quinn… It kind of made her sick that she had to stoop down to his level, but so far, it was working… Hook, line, and sinker. Five songs later, she thought it was time to reel him in and she led him by the hand back to the table. She slid in to the seat and impressed upon Enrique to order her the same of what she'd been drinking because she was thirsty. He did so for her and she pretended to look around in her clutch; she pretended not to find more coke inside to take another hit. Tara figured she had him by the balls, literally. He probably figured he was going to get laid after all the partying as well…

'Fat chance,' she thought.

"Enrique honey, do you know where a pretty lady like me could get another score? I'm all out and I want to party all night long…" she whined in his ear.

He seriously looked at her to gauge how intoxicated she was and seemed to find what he was looking for. Then he pointed to a goon and he came close. He rattled off something in Portuguese and the man left the table for a while.

"The Enrique will do anything to please his lady."

"I'm so happy," she spoke and then sealed it with a kiss…

* * *

Eliot woke up the next morning to the sounds of horses huffing and whinnying; hooves stomping on metal. They didn't sound in danger but they did seem excited, even a bit anxious to his ears.

'What the hell?' was his first thought.

He sat up in his bed and grabbed his cane off the coverlet. The hitter stood and slowly made his way to the window. He opened the blinds and looked out toward the barn. He could barely see as the sunrise was just starting. What he could see was that there was a horse hauler backed in and open with enough room to unload its cargo. He couldn't help but wonder what Parker was up to. And as he looked around, there she was… In jeans so tight they looked painted on and a pair of a working cowgirl's version of brown boots. She had a black, white, and gray scale checkered flannel shirt on over a white tucked in t-shirt. Her hair was down, floating and fanning in the small breeze outside as she stood there with a clipboard; and a pen in her fingers. Then he saw her write something on that clipboard and as she did so these two white Shetland ponies were pulled off the hauler. What the hell did Parker need with Shetland ponies? The ever un-normal thief was at it again. Eliot watched as two other men lifted the metal gate and locked it up. Parker shook some man's hand and then he spotted Sophie walking toward her in a near parka style jacket, ear muffs, and leggings with a pair of UGG boots on. He smirked…

"If Nanook of the North was female, he'd look like Sophie," he joked to himself.

The man got in the truck and then drove off. He tried to read lips, but his vision was a little foggy since he'd just woken up. Then he saw Parker hug Sophie and then the two women headed into the barn. The hitter didn't think he liked the conspiratory look the two of his teammates shared before they hugged. It was time to get up anyway since it was now ten after eight in the morning and he wanted to investigate things for himself. What bothered him the most was that he hadn't heard the truck coming up the long driveway, or the horses getting unloaded at least until the ponies; he'd slept that hard and it scared him a bit…

* * *

Parker woke up to the sound of a heavy engine coming up the drive as she was out on the porch. The thief realized she must have fallen asleep after the tea. She'd woken up off and on through the night from her bed, and gone down to the kitchen to add water to the food reducing down in the Crock*Pot. After the last time she did so; she couldn't get back to sleep. She supposed it was because of how Eliot had been at dinner the night before. So she padded back down to the kitchen fully dressed this time and made some peppermint tea. While she waited for the water to boil, she added another cup of water to the pot roast in the Crock*Pot for about the last time and turned it down to low; and then went out on the porch with her tea. She wrapped up in the quilt Sophie and Eliot had left outside the day before. She wasn't expecting visitors that early; the sun wasn't even up out of bed in the horizon yet. At least she had a couple lights on, illuminating her on the porch swing. The truck stopped. A man about six foot one with a black Stetson got out with a clipboard and his partner, who was about five foot eight, got out. The driver started turning the truck and horse hauler around with the partner's help. Somehow they backed it up and ten feet away from the front of the barn.

"Good morning ma'am. Sorry to be here so early, would you be Parker, ma'am?"

"Yeah," the thief narrowed her eyes.

"We've been talking on the phone; I'm Dean Reeves with the Four Square Ranch."

"Morning," she nodded. "Weren't you supposed to be here on Monday?"

"Sorry ma'am. We had to move up the date because we were expecting an early snow storm in our area by Monday. I had to get the stock out before the storm. This way, they will be warm and fed in your barn instead of freezing. You might even get hit here with some of that snow since you're near a mountain. I hate to pressure you to take delivery right now, but I didn't have a choice."


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N - Parker gets some advice from Sophie...**

**Quinn was busy... **

**Tara gets a surprise...**

**And Hardison checks in with his boss for the job...**

**I hope you all have a GREAT weekend and I will see you next FABULOUS FAN FICTION FRIDAY!**

**PS. I can't wait to read your REVIEWS on Monday!**

* * *

"That's okay. Go ahead and unload. I'll check them off if you want."

"Thanks ma'am. I'll get my men right on it."

* * *

So Parker watched as they unloaded the horse hauler. Because there were three men working, it didn't take long to get the horses off the trailer and into the barn. Then she felt a hand on her shoulder. Sophie was up and clearly wasn't happy with the noise, but smiled at Parker anyway.

"What's all this?"

"I don't know exactly. I thought it was supposed to be Eliot's Christmas present… But that was back when he was in the hospital. And now, I'm not so sure he deserves them now after last night, but I heard horses were good for therapy. Dean, inside the barn says there's an early snow storm coming so he had to deliver them early."

"We'll have to watch Eliot… He's going to want to ride without his braces to prove he's still got it."

"Got what?"

"The ability to ride."

"Oh…"

"He's lost a lot these last few months and I don't know what it would do to him if he thought he lost the ability to ride, Parker. He needs to prove to himself he still can," the grifter worried.

The thief hugged Sophie, "I know; that's why I kind of had to accept delivery. Maybe he could brush them down or feed them to start."

"Start small and build Parker… Good idea, darling."

"Come on; let's go see my horses…" Parker cheerfully pulled Sophie into the barn. "That sounds so much like an oxymoron."

"By the way, Parker, what was that smell from the kitchen I caught on my way out?"

* * *

Once the hitter had dressed and gotten himself into his wheelchair, he changed his mind about going outside… He decided to sneak into the kitchen and cook the two women breakfast; all by himself. No more talk of it being his buddy's food masked as Parker's cooking… Eliot rolled into the kitchen and headed for the fridge. It took a little work to get the heavy door open considering he couldn't stand. He got a whiff of onion soup… He could smell vegetables and some kind of meat. Then he spotted the red light on the Crock*Pot on the counter… There went Parker, up to one more thing… He didn't dare look at what she was cooking, just to let her surprise him but he knew it had to be some kind of pot roast with vegetables. He took out some eggs and found the flour… A few more fixings and he had the makings to make Parker's favorite… His pancakes that she liked so much. Along with that he found some sausage links so he decided to add scrambled eggs and sausage into the menu. He owed her his pancakes after all he did to ruin her dinner last night.

* * *

Sophie walked in through the front door and Parker caught a whiff of something familiar wafting past her nose. It was coming from the kitchen… She couldn't see Eliot because he was shorter than the height of the front counter. She noticed his bedroom door was open… Then she turned and he was in the corner and trying to get the coffee machine loaded.

"Aha! Caught ya," she suddenly jumped into the kitchen.

Suddenly Eliot spilled a double-papered coffee filter full of grounds on the counter…

"Dammit Parker! Look what you made me do," he yelled at her.

"Yup, he's still Oscar this morning…" Parker mused.

"I'll make the coffee," Sophie smiled as she came in behind Parker.

"That's not the point. I'm doing breakfast…"

"Is that so? Is there a crack in that Grouchy exterior I see," Sophie teased as she grabbed the container of ground coffee from the hitter.

That earned her a smirk and Parker watched as Sophie laughed. Her teammates seemed to be happy again. And that was good in her book… Four more days until she was leaving…

* * *

Suddenly, she felt a vibration in the front pocket of her jeans and remembered that was where her cell phone was. Abruptly, she turned and went into the living room to check out what was going on until she saw that it was Hardison calling. Then Parker went out to the porch for some privacy…

* * *

"Morning."

"Hey mama, just a quick update; Tara's mission in red heels worked. And we're moving forward with the plans. Not sure what's going on with Quinn though. He seemed off when I last spoke to him."

"Okay, now I need exact coordinates of the location of the ship. And let Tara keep up on working under Enrique's skin. Have him take her shopping; have her make him want to buy her something pretty or, sparkly. He might even want to get his sisters in law, mother, and sisters to go shopping with her. Have them make sure they know she's not a gold-digger. Keep selling the character…"

"You got it, anything else?"

"I need two fake containers that we need to have in Los Angeles while the boat keeps up on its way north. I will have a team with me to sail the ship into the Port of San Francisco."

"'Kay. I'm on it."

"And keep Quinn out of sight for now. His job will be coming up soon… At least only a few days more. I'm leaving here on the morning of the seventh, so I need our jet to pick me up."

"I'll send it. Do you need me to come with it or do you want me to stay here?"

"No, stay there as my eyes and ears. I know my teams have gotten you bugs everywhere you need."

"They've been great; saved us a boat load of time…" Alec tried to joke.

"Yeah, yeah. Anyway, I'll need the weather report sent to my phone before I get to you down there."

"Right."

"I gotta go; Eliot's made pancakes."

"What? He cookin' again already? I thought he was supposed to be off those legs."

"He got his casts off yesterday, but he has to wear braces now for a little while. He's gonna start physical therapy soon."

"That's great. Tell him I said, 'Congrats, man.'"

"Sure. Bye."

* * *

Tara went to Enrique's hotel room later that night into the predawn hours. He wasn't able to convince her to have intercourse on his bed, but she compromised and agreed to suck his cock, but only if she allowed him to share a shower with her. She hated to, but she did it. Just for appearances she allowed him to get her off with his hand only and some kissing. The grifter didn't allow his mouth to go below her belly button and that was that. That place was reserved for Quinn… And only Quinn. God, she hadn't thought about him for the whole night… Now she remembered that her real lover was the only one she wanted eating her out; he was the best she'd ever had… Literally. She actually began to miss him as she laid there with the mark snoring away on his king size bed. Tara realized that Quinn was probably pretty upset she hadn't come home last night. She easily slipped out of bed and grabbed her clothing. Fortunately, the sedative she slipped him when the grifter made drinks for him when they got to his hotel room; had him pretty sleepy still. He didn't move a muscle to chase after her.

The blond hadn't had a word from Hardison yet, so she went ahead with another plan that she didn't know was already what she was supposed to do. She left Enrique a note on her pillow to call her when he woke up, that she was holding him to his promise to take her shopping, and get her something beautiful. Then the grifter quietly left his hotel at dawn. His men were sleeping in the hall. Just so she wouldn't wake them, she left her shoes off and made a b-line for the staircase access. Fortunately, they were all heavy sleepers. She took the stairs so that an elevator wouldn't ding when the doors opened. Then she took a cab back to her hotel…

* * *

Not too long after midnight, Quinn left the 24 hour jewelry store with a small black box about the size big enough for an engagement ring… He went back to the hotel to wait up for Tara… Well, after several hours of movies on the flat-screen television, he was sound asleep and no blond grifter… Then he heard the door open and he grabbed for his gun under the pillow on the bed. He hid behind the bedroom door until he saw the saw the red high heels step into the bedroom. Out of the blue he grabbed her from behind around the waist and held the barrel of the gun to her temple…

"Where have you been?" He gruffly asked her.

"Out. Night ran long. Why, jealous?" She spoke and then bumped her tight ass into the front of his boxers.

He could tell she was turned on by his aggressive behavior and not in the slightest scared at the gun at her temple. She then ground her butt into him again just for giggles. Then she broke free and turned around to face her lover standing there in his boxer shorts. She warmly kissed him good morning and then backed away. His body was definitely happy to see her, but she still smelled like that Brazilian freak.

"Did you…"

"No."

"How come you smell like him?"

"His cheap cologne doesn't wash off, sorry. Wanna come share a shower with me before I get a nap?"

"Don't lie to me… Did you… With him?"

"No baby, I didn't. I sucked him off long enough for the sedative I slipped him to work and then I tried a shower before I left. My hair's almost dry but I guess I didn't get all of his smell off me."

She didn't have to ask him again… He scooped her up into his arms and carried her into the bathroom for that shower. The beautiful diamond ring he bought for her stayed in the pocket of his jeans for the time being. He didn't want to get her distracted for the moment by proposing to her in the middle of a job. She couldn't lose focus and start day dreaming about wedding plans when she had a mark to seduce…


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N - Sorry there isn't more chapters today. I had some bleeding in the back of my eyeballs... Not good.**

**So I have floaters in my vision. So I am resting and taking it easy til they're gone. **

**My love to all and can't wait for your REVIEWS!**

* * *

Parker came inside after talking to Hardison. Eliot and Sophie were already seated and eating while trying to start a conversation. She sat down and her eyes went wide as she saw what was on the plate left at her spot at the table. Then she suspiciously narrowed them…

"You made me pancakes?" Eliot didn't make her pancakes because he just felt like it. Something must be off for him to do so. "Why?"

"Because I wanted to tell you I'm sorry for how I acted last night. I shouldn't have been such a, 'Grouch,' as you put it. You were only trying to make me feel better when I didn't feel up to it," Eliot told her seriously.

"Okay," she picked up her fork and just like that he was forgiven.

The blond thief wasn't one to hold too many grudges because there wasn't time to sit and let them fester. When she had the time, she'd exact her revenges on those people that hurt her. She loved Eliot too much to get Hardison to help her get some payback. She'd take his pancakes as an apology… They were that good. Out of the blue, a thought popped into her head, Eliot made her pancakes… Did this mean he wanted to take over in the kitchen from now on? But she had so many more recipes of hers to make for the hitter to try. But then again, she now had ten horses and two ponies to feed and take care of… Eliot couldn't do any of that except maybe the feeding and she was running out of time before she had to disappear and head to California…

* * *

Eliot almost didn't believe it was that easy… But then it was Parker; anything was possible… In a way, he had been expecting more to come out of her. She accepted his apology just as easily as the way she picked up the fork and started to bury his pancakes in syrup. It wasn't the pure maple syrup from his place but it had to do. Sophie had told him while she helped him serve, not to expect much of an acceptance from Parker, and to think simple. And Parker stuck to what the grifter had said. Now, about those noises that woke him up…

"What was that I heard this morning? Sounded like horses…"

"I have no idea, darling," Sophie offered as Parker had just stuffed another big bite of pancake into her mouth.

They both waited until she finished that bite…

"It's Christmas early," and another big bite…

"What's that supposed to mean?" He asked.

"Just like it sounds; it's Christmas early," she ate the last big bite…

The hitter couldn't believe that she had just inhaled four of his pancakes. He watched her stand and head to the door. She opened it and paused…

"Well, ain't-cha comin'?"

'Dammit Parker,' he thought.

"I'll help," Sophie offered, as she stood and reached for the handles on the back of his wheelchair.

* * *

Soon, the three of them were out at the barn… He couldn't believe the sizes of horses she had… Did she have any idea what these horses could do? Hell, six of them were almost as tall as the barn! The first one that caught his eye was a black behemoth of a horse named Giant. He was a Shire draft horse he guessed was about 21 or 22 hands high. Next to him was another Shire named Bronwyn and she was just as tall as her neighbor. He had no idea that her next door neighbor Giant was her mate. Between the two of them they weighed a combined 6, 600 pounds! Next to Bronwyn was a pair of white Percherons, about 19 hands high, of course male and female, but not in the same stall of course. They were called, Jack and Jill. Then after them came a pair of brown Clydesdales; one named Bud and the other, the female, was named Wiser. It wasn't spelled like the actual beer company… Budweiser. They were about 18 hands high; still, far too high for him to consider riding…

"Hey, what's with this one's name?"

"Her? She's the wiser one of the pair. He can be an escape artist if he doesn't get lots of attention, the former owner said," Parker filled him in.

'Figures…' he thought.

However, instead of next to Bud, Wiser was across from him in a stall facing Bud's. Then he rolled over to the right side. Next to Wiser was a pair of Thoroughbreds, named Castle and Beckett that were 17 hands high. The male was a chestnut and the female was a brown. He smirked, how Parker of her. Then came something more around his height… Then came two Arabians, one black and the other a bay. The male was called Sea of Midnight and the female Bay was named Raine of Spring. Both were just a little over 15 hands high. He could handle that… Just before he needed to go back to the farmhouse to use the toilet, he spotted two little things in the last two stalls. There were two Shetland ponies, both a beautiful brown. One was named Snickers and the other was called Kit-Kat. Seriously? She named the ponies after candy she liked?

"And before you ask, all the horses and ponies were named like that before I got them, Sparky," she spoke as if she'd read his mind.

"I wasn't gonna ask, but now that you mention it… Why all the oversized horses and only four that are decent enough to ride?"

"Because I have plans. Now you guys get first pick. Pick out one you want and it's yours to ride when you come here to visit. Well, except in Sparky's case. He's not gonna need to visit his 'cause he'll be here to be with his all the time."

"Dammit Parker! I am going to leave here one day," Eliot wasn't happy, but he was right…

One day he would leave and she couldn't stop him… He did a wheelie and turned around again. The more he looked; he began to see a pattern… There was two of each kind; a pair… He wondered why she got pairs of horses. Parker knew nothing of animal husbandry and breeding these horses and ponies…

* * *

"Very generous of you, love! I think I like Beckett, darling. She's just perfect," Sophie said as she went over and stroked the white stripe down the front of the horse's nose.

Castle had a star on the top of his forehead and he tended to get on Beckett's nerves. And she'd have to nip at him to keep him in check. Parker smiled at that, just like she thought would happen because Sophie looked after Nate… Her personal favorite was Raine of Spring but she didn't want to say a word until Eliot picked one. Because if he picked one, it was a kind of sign to her that he didn't want to leave. He didn't know though that she had purchased the couple of Arabians because they were sweet on each other…

"What about you, Sparky?"

"I guess I could start with Midnight, once I can stand on my own."

"Good, now you both can help me with feeding them later. They've already had breakfast according to the delivery man."

* * *

Enrique sat in his hotel room at a small round table as a waiter from room service served him breakfast. Then the morning silence was shattered as his cell phone rang… It was Tony's number.

"What is it? I am about to eat breakfast…"

"Diego is taken care of," Tony spoke into Enrique's left ear.

"Grandfather will be pleased. Where was he?"

"He's here in Los Angeles. We may have some problems… He was being guarded by four people; three men and a woman. I think I recognized one of them. He might be that guy we ran into when we tried to run a shipment from Cuba to the Keys."

"What was his name? You remember?"

"Jimmy O'Neal, I think. He was from an Irish cartel out of Dublin. Well anyway, he was speaking with some nearly bald man and he wasn't using an accent."

"Interesting. How did you dispose of Diego?"

That Jimmy O'Neal gave them a lot of trouble… He had sunk the boat and destroyed eight months of cocaine, right into the water. If he remembered right, they found out he was working for the Delgadillos… If he got ahold of him, he would find out just how angry Enrique Villareagos could get…

"Smothered him with a pillow on the bed. He didn't feel a thing, must have been sleeping."

"Was anyone alerted?"

"No, they sat around playing cards."

"Anything important said?"

"Nah, just about sports."

"How is our shipment from Chile?"

"I will have to check, but it should be here soon."

"Good. We will have to be on alert if that impostor is here in Los Angeles. The Delgadillos would do anything to steal back their property."

"I hear you."

"Should I let grandfather know about Jimmy?"

Enrique thought a moment… His grandfather would be pissed that they hadn't ended him the first time they came in contact with him. Not to mention he'd send men out to hunt for him since he is considered an enemy of the Villareagos family and the El Serpiente cartel. No, it was better to stalk in the reeds to find out what he was up to, if anything. Wait for the most opportune time to strike. After all, El Serpiente translated into English meant, The Snake…

"No, that's a headache we don't need."

"Yeah, you're right."

"Just lay low and watch over our shipment… If this, 'Jimmy,' tries to take it, we'll stop him and make sure he pays doubly for trying to take what's ours."

"So you don't want me to tail him?"

"No… Let him go for now, he'll show his true colors soon enough…" Enrique could feel a monster headache starting to form… Of course he had no idea how big that headache was going to get…


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N - Hi folks...**

**Got an appointment next week to get the eye looked at. **

**I know this one is short. Sorry! I hope to have something more in depth for chapter 13...**

**Enjoy and please REVIEW!**

* * *

It had been sometime and it was his turn to go check on their prisoner… Michael Westen got up from his chair and headed to check in the bedroom. When he entered the room, Diego looked like he was asleep. He had no idea that Anthony, 'Tony,' Villareagos had arranged the body to make it look like his victim was sleeping. He flipped on the switch to check on the man and noticed that his lips looked darker than they were supposed to be… Michael watched him for a few moments and Diego's chest wasn't rising and falling.

"Fuck," he uttered as he checked for a pulse on the man's wrist and found none.

The burned agent moved back to the room where the four of them were playing cards…

"We have a problem…"

"Like what, Mikey," Sam asked before he took a sip of his beer.

"Like Diego Rodriguez is dead," Michael spoke so casually, calmly…

"You're shittin' me," the other Michael said… "How the hell did that happen?"

"He has signs of suffocation. There were no marks of strangulation."

"The bigger point is how the hell was someone able to get in here to do it," Fiona voiced as she stood to go get another drink. "Anyone need more to drink?"

"Agreed, who do we think did it? I'll have another cold one," Michael Vance ordered from the bombing and weapons expert.

"Who else? It had to be the El Serpiente cartel," Mr. Westen uttered. "The bigger problem beyond Fi's point is that I worked for the Delgadillos, did so undercover of an alias, and with an accent. If the killer heard me talk with you nuts, he'll report back to the family. That means I've been made… I can't be anything more than backup firepower."

"Is there going to be anyone else on the inside?" Fiona asked as she brought the beer for the other Michael.

"I don't know any more than you all know," Vance spoke. "I would assume that we'll know in a few days when our leader gets here."

"So what are we gonna do about the killer or the body?" Sam asked as he shuffled the cards to keep himself distracted from the fact that there was a dead body in the next room.

"He'll be dealt with," the Special Forces giant said.

Michael Westen knew that Vance would send in a sweeper team to get rid of the body. Of course they were going to have to move from their location to some place more secure until Parker arrived to give them more details of what was going on.

* * *

Later on before lunch, Sophie had helped Parker and Eliot feed all the horses and the two ponies. Eliot had been given the task of feeding the ponies because the ponies were at his level. It had been good to see the hitter working together with the thief. She decided to put her little operation to good use. Sophie had a habit of interfering in relationships… And because she was a grifter, the thief and the hitter were her marks…

"Darlings, I'm going home," she suddenly announced.

"Why, Eliot wants to make us lunch…" Parker offered up the still healing man to make them a meal.

"Dammit Parker!" Eliot barked at the blond. "She stayed here last night. Let her go home and get a change of clothing or something."

"It's alright Eliot. I wanted to get home before the storm hits actually. According to my phone, it says they're expecting at least five inches of snow."

"Weather men aren't accurate," the grifter heard the thief as a random thought.

"True, Parker, but it might be worse. I also wanted to check in with Nate. I don't think we've updated him on Eliot's condition."

"We can survive up here for a few days if you have business you need to take care of," the hitter said.

"Try not to kill each other while you're snowed in…" she laughed as she headed for her vehicle.

* * *

Sophie had made Parker wonder what she was going to do when it came time to leave. If the ground was covered with that much snow, she wouldn't be able to ride a bike like she had planned to and anything with an engine would alert Eliot to her leaving. A horse couldn't take the cold for long and what was she going to with a horse once she got into the city? She considered walking… But the only way she could conceivably do it would be via snow shoes. The gear might be a challenge but she could put that on a sled or something she could slide on the ice. She decided to think it over while she got ready to make dinner… It was time to whip out another bikini since Sophie wasn't going to be around… Even though she had volunteered Eliot to cook, she was going to make sure she took over dinner; he could have lunch… Parker took a hold of the handles to the hitter's chair and began to head him back into the farm house where it was warm. The thief thought about the mastermind and thought Hardison would have filled him in by now. She wondered if she should beat Sophie to it and send a text to Beretta. Eliot's step-sister finding out before the mastermind seemed more important. She let Eliot roll off into the kitchen while she went to her room and to her cell phone.

[SpiderMonkey: Hey, E got his casts off. In straight braces now. P]

[MrsWBMama: It's 6 AM here P! Great news! How's E? B.]

[SpiderMonkey: Sorry. He's doing better with it. Maybe. Been brooding a bit. P.]

[MrsWBMama: Typical E. Has he started PT yet? B.]

[SpiderMonkey: No. No physical therapy yet. Planned on doing something with him before dinner 2 tire him out. P.]

[MrsWBMama: That would B good. He'll sleep better. B.]

[SpiderMonkey: He's back in kitchen again. P.]

[MrsWBMama: I'm sure he needed that. The more he can cook, the more he relaxes. B.]

[SpiderMonkey: Maybe we should let him make all of Thanksgiving dinner then? P.]

Parker was just kidding because she knew that making a meal like that wouldn't just relax him, he'd get too tired on top of having had to do his physical therapy for that day. She hadn't planned on giving him a holiday from exercising those muscles that had been out of use for so long. The harder she worked at getting him to do his physical therapy, he would recover faster. He'd like recovering faster…

[MrsWBMama: How R U holding up? B.]

[SpiderMonkey: I'm fine. We got his Christmas present in earlier than planned due 2 incoming storm. P.]

[MrsWBMama: Parker… Tell me. How R U? B.]

[SpiderMonkey: I'm nervous 'bout leaving him in a few days. I have 2. Sophie's coming in the AM after I've gone. Then U guys should be coming 2 Portland shortly after.

[MrsWBMama: It will B alright. I can feel it. The bad guys will B stopped and we'll get 2 go home soon. B.]

[SpiderMonkey: Gotta go, E's got lunch ready… P.]

Parker decided to lie that Eliot was calling after her because she felt that Beretta might want to probe deeper into why she felt nervous about leaving… She felt that was getting too close emotionally so soon.

[MrsWBMama: Talk 2 U soon, I hope. B.]

[SpiderMonkey: As soon as I have some free time. P.]

Parker stood and went to her dresser. She tried hard to remember what holiday was next… The ending of daylight savings time was that Sunday, but that wasn't a holiday. Nope, the next one coming up was Veteran's Day. Problem was, she realized, she wasn't going to be in town to celebrate with her favorite veteran, Eliot. Well, she could solve that… The thief could dress up to honor her beloved veteran before she left… Tonight, in fact. Yeah, that could work. She rummaged through her drawers and found the correct bikini. She left it on her bed and headed down to see if Eliot needed some help. Parker figured he would probably kick her out of her kitchen anyway. It was the thought that counted, right?

* * *

Sophie made it home to her apartment in town that she kept separate from Nate's. She only really kept it for the times when Nate wasn't home. She couldn't stand being in his apartment above the Bridgeport, all alone because there were too many things to remind her of him. She flopped down into her bed after she put her meal on the nightstand by her bed. Sophie had her cell in hand and knew she was going to get a kick out of texting Nate so early in his time zone…

[GriftRUs: Hi Lover Boy… S.]

[MegaMind: Do U know what time it is here? And who U callin' Boy, Old Lady… N.]

[GriftRUs: No and I don't care… Thought U would want an update on our healing hitter. S.]

[MegaMind: Not at 6 AM my dear!… How is he, now that I'm awake. N.]

Sophie smiled… She knew how to get him riled up to make sure she got her way.

[GriftRUs: The casts R off his legs. He's in straight braces 4 the moment while he gets used 2 being on his feet. S.]

[MegaMind: Good. And when does physical therapy start? N.]

[GriftRUs: Soon. I think Parker suggested that she had planned 2 do some work on him 2nite. S.]

[MegaMind: We should B coming home soon as well. Thinking about sometime on the 8th. N.]

[GriftRUs: I miss U. S.]

[MegaMind: I know. Can't help that I got stuck down here alone… Remind me 2 discuss that with Parker when this job is over. N.]

[GriftRUs: I'm all alone 2 darling… I'm in bed and about 2 eat lunch. S.]

Sophie felt her wicked streak pop up and wondered if Nate would actually sext her from Australia… A girl had to get her kicks somehow… And she was overdue…

[MegaMind: Naughty girl… I know what's on UR mind… And I think I'm going 2 B late 2 breakfast… N.]


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N - Sorry for the delay! Family is now out of the house so I can write!**

**Please Read and REVIEW!**

**Love you guys!**

* * *

Oddly enough, even though Parker had volunteered his cooking skills, the hitter hadn't really felt up to cooking. So instead of going all out for a fancy meal, he just opened a can of tomato soup and heated it on the stove with a can of milk instead of water and then made grilled cheese sandwiches. Parker came in and spied what he had made and went to another cabinet where he watched her grab a couple of pills out of a bottle. She took them with a half of a glass of water and he thought she should have drunk more water considering the size of the pills; they were almost the size a horse could choke on… Then he watched her serve up the soup and sandwiches. She carried both for him; he supposed because the heat on his lap and possible spillage of the soup on that same area would have been bad. Parker had done all this without a word and he wondered if he had done something wrong. Eliot guessed it might have been because he'd told her that one day he was going to leave… So instead of getting into another argument with her, the hitter tried a softer way in…

"So, why so many horses? Why so big?" He asked.

She dipped her diagonally cut grilled cheese sandwich into her soup and swirled it around like she wasn't all that hungry maybe…

"Some are for work and some are for play," she simply told him and nothing more as she took a bite of her sandwich finally.

"What kind of work?" He was curious.

"Working the fields, Silly Eliot."

"You know they have machines that do that kind of thing now, Parker, they're called tractors…"

"But tractors use gas… Not good for the air. Horses don't and when they do their business it's good for the ground," she spoke as if she had done some reading.

He actually wondered if she was trying to be cute by getting in on the green movement or… He always thought that Parker's version of the green movement was moving green, fresh off the presses, money into her vaults or wherever she had it stashed. The hitter even wondered if she was so foolish enough to go and stuff mattresses with money from her jobs.

"I'm not so sure of that… Have you ever smelled what horse shit smells like Parker? It's not great…"

Eliot watched as she narrowed her eyes… Uh oh…

"If you're gonna make fun of me I'll go eat in my room."

"I'm perfectly serious, Parker."

* * *

The thief came into the kitchen and saw what Eliot was making for lunch. Instead of making him feel bad about the fact that she couldn't digest milk and that maybe he was trying to kill her, she went to the cabinet in the kitchen where she kept her special medicine that allowed her to consume milk products. Then she set about helping him get the food to the dining room. He set the table with a little help from her. She had to get the plates down for him, but then he retrieved the utensils on his own. Then Eliot asked why so many horses and why they were so big… Well, truth be told, she had planned to mainly keep the larger ones for clearing downed trees for firewood and maybe have them for getting her fields ready for planting in the spring. For the other times she had planned to ride them, slowly; to get her used to being on a horse. She felt that maybe with such large horses, they wouldn't be so spirited to run while she was getting over her fear of horses in general. And they were so humongous she would feel safe from falling off because they were so wide… She played with her food a little in her soup as she thought of a simple answer. And so she told him that some were for work and some were for play. The ponies were mostly for Eliot's step-niece and nephew to play with when they were old enough. She wouldn't ride the mate to Eliot's horse until she was sure she could do it; maybe only when the hitter was able to ride himself.

Then she'd gone into how tractors used gas and she didn't want to have to lug fuel around to fill them. It would be easier to feed the horses and use the manure for the ground that she read in those gardening books. Besides, wasn't going green the, 'IN,' thing to do nowadays? Eliot didn't know that she used to muck stalls as part of a work detail from juvenile hall. She did the work a few days and oh yes, she had smelled enough horse shit to last a lifetime… Then she escaped… After that she was on her own on the streets and managed to avoid capture. Shortly after she ended up in Archie Leach's presence and the story of how he began to hone her started… That's when she decided to turn the tables… She wasn't going to let him make fun of her again.

"Yes, I have and I think it smells like stuff growing in the ground. Especially, bull shit. Now bull shit smells like food for the plants to suck up," she was totally serious, and there he was with his silly eyebrow arched in amusement.

If Eliot had taken the time to really think about what she said, he'd know she was right. So, instead of continuing down the road with the conversation because they wouldn't see eye to eye, she changed the subject. She wasn't going to give him an option…

"Tonight we're starting your physical therapy."

'There, take that… Sparky!' Parker thought.

* * *

Eliot looked at her like she'd grown two heads. How could she go from talking about bull shit to physical therapy? She had been matter of fact with him and didn't really offer up any explanation.

"Is that so, and you, and what army are going to make me?" He teased her.

"This thief is an army of one, you know that. We won't do anything too rough, unless you like gettin' rough," she wiggled her eyebrows to tease him back.

Eliot wondered if she was attempting to flirt with him… On a wild hair, he decided to throw down a challenge to his teammate.

"Don't start something you can't finish, Parker," he teased.

He knew it was wrong to egg her on after he'd spent days trying to nip any kind of relationship with her in the bud. But then she shocked him right back…

"I intend to finish it… Whatever the gauntlet. You just make sure you can keep up with me, Old Man."

"Who you callin' Old Man, you Crazy Thief…"

She narrowed her eyes… Then picked up her bowl and drank the rest of her soup; about two cups to guzzle.

"Oh it's on like Donkey Kong," she said as she stood and carried off her empty bowl.

* * *

Tara got up and quietly went to the bathroom. It was already eleven in the morning… She showered to get Quinn off of her before she picked out a demure gray tunic dress; the one with the black three inch wide belt to go around her waist. She put on a black wide brim hat and left the bedroom with everything transferred into a black clutch. Her hands were covered with black opera length gloves. She had her hair pulled back and when she looked in the mirror she thought she looked like she stepped out of the classic film, "Vertigo." She was no Kim Novak so she decided to accept that she looked like she'd stepped out of the 50's. They had some champagne to celebrate hooking Enrique as part of the job after their shower together. Tara slipped Quinn a little something to help him sleep and he was still sleeping it off as she slipped into the living area of their suite. She wrote him a quick note as to where she would be for the day. If he could be there at Our Lady of the Angels, on Sunset and Hollywood Boulevard, as a priest, she would be grateful. She signed it with X's and O's and then headed out. When she left the room, she noticed a head pop from hiding out of the corner of her eye, and when she turned to look, it was gone. The grifter wasn't sure what to think… But it was kind of obvious that Enrique was having her tailed… A new game was afoot. She climbed into a cab out at the driveway and sent a text to Hardison and Quinn that the room was being watched and that she was being followed. Of course, with her part of the job she was right on target because she knew Enrique would be having her followed because Latin American men could be insanely jealous if they wanted to be. The same thing could be said for Spanish and Portuguese men…

The cab pulled up curbside at the front of Our Lady of the Angels and paid the man. The cab took off. She looked around and there it was, a black Lincoln Mark five that was just a half a block away. She'd been watching it for a few miles. She headed on into the church and crossed herself with a little holy water before she entered the sanctuary. She knelt down on one knee by the pew she was about to sit in and crossed herself again. Then she took a seat on the hard, lacquered wooden bench. If course the grifter pretended to look like she was praying… And then after a sufficient amount of time she got up and went to one of the confession booths. She entered and closed the door. The little door on the window went up and she couldn't see the face on the other side… God, she hoped it was Quinn and that she managed to lure away from the hotel long enough for her lover to escape. What she didn't know was that other forces were at work…

* * *

Hardison knew it would be a little tricky to get Quinn out in time with the couple's suite being watched. And with Nate still in Australia, he was out of options… So he stepped in and became a priest from South Africa.

"Father, forgive me, for I have sinned. It has been five weeks since my last confession," Tara began.

"God forgive You, My Child, what sins have you to confess?" Hardison spoke with an accent, total professional.

At that point, he started listening to her confession. A lot of them she made up for the sake of Enrique's goons listening in on the conversation.

"I looked at a man and I found him attractive. He and I went out to clubs and partied with alcohol all night. And the worst sin of all I think. I completed a sexual act with him."

"What kind of sexual act, My Child?"

"I sucked his cock until he fell asleep."

"Whoa, My Child," Hardison couldn't believe how turned on he was getting with her voice tickling his ears with morsels of information of her sex life…

"I don't want to burn in hell, Father…"

"Now," said Hardison the priest. "That is a terrible sin, My Child, and for it you shall do penance."

Then Tara began recite several Our Father's and just as many Hail Mary's, before she then started to recite the Apostles' Creed.

"My Child, please when you come to the confessional next time, be in a state of grace. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."

* * *

Meanwhile, Juan was listening in on the conversation, he wrote down what he could for his report back to Enrique… Especially the part about her promising not to do anything sexual with his boss until he put a ring on her finger… Then he moved away quickly and then out to the Lincoln. He watched her come out of the building and then hail another cab… He again followed her into the shopping district and right to a jewelry store. From the window, Juan watched her go through rings and then she apparently bought it with a credit card she swiped from his boss. Enrique wasn't going to be happy about it at all...


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N - Hello my Lovely readers!**

**This chapter was something for a little fun... With Hardison... Quinn's gonna owe him, BIG time.**

**And I know you all have been yearning for a little more romance... So, here's a little fun chapter for you all to read! **

**Enjoy and please REVIEW!**

* * *

After lunch, Parker set Eliot up in the living room with the television. He got wrapped up in some football game she couldn't care less about. She went into the kitchen and flipped over her roast in the Crock*Pot and added a bit more water before she closed it all back up. It was going to be perfect for dinner. Then she rinsed the dishes from lunch before she put them in the dishwasher. She started it up and headed to the front door. The blond thief put on her thicker coat.

"I'm going out to take care of some things. I'll be back before dinner," she told Eliot on the sofa.

"Yeah, yeah. GO! GO! GO! Fuck!" The hitter was obviously lost in the game.

Parker left the farm house and noticed that the skies had gotten a bit darker with water laden clouds ready to rain snow or even sleet down on them soon. She trudged across the street to her barn where her office was upstairs. Right in the middle of the room she had two strands of the most beautiful red aerial silks set up. They were attached to the roof so that she could practice her strength exercises. Doing aerial silk work helped to keep her limber and helped her core strength strong. Later when she had time she had decided to set up a place in the hay loft in the barn next door to practice parkour over some of the bales. She turned on the central heating she had upstairs and pulled off her jacket. The blond thief put in her ear buds from her iPod and attached the small music player to her arm. She turned on her aerial silks playlist and then hit the material to, "The Hamster Dance," the extended version. Her limbs and legs moved in a special dance she'd created to keep her in perfect shape. Ha! The kind of shape to wear those bikini's she used to attract Eliot's attention sometimes to put him in a better mood.

* * *

Hardison left the Catholic church as soon as he safely could and took the recording he made from what Tara told him in code, disguised as much as she could so that Juan would be telling either his boss, Enrique or the Head Goon, who would then tell Enrique. He took it back to his vehicle and began analyzing the recording. Parker had kind of left it in the air with Tara and her job with the mark Enrique. So the recording happened to be her plan on what she planned to do next. Hardison took notes and helped to get her get the authorized user permission on the mark's credit card; the one she stole while he was asleep after she blew his mind… And so the hacker set up the females in the Villareagos family with jewelry shopping sprees on behalf of their husbands. After Eliot had pulled the trick on him and Nate by getting the roses for Sophie and the Venus Fly Trap for Parker, he knew the men wouldn't want to displease their women by telling them that they had to send all the beautiful things they would buy. They would just take the credit and reap the benefits even if it might be costing a fortune. And as Tara had planned, then she could pass herself off as Enrique's somewhat chaste, good Catholic girl, fiancée…

Then the hacker got on the phone and called Sophie. She didn't immediately answer, so he left a quick message. He had set up the Winchester Clan to have an apartment just up the street from her high priced building. That was going to be the safe place until Operation Phantom Cobra was over. Then they could all go back to Fort Bragg and live happy lives. And he could get back to his wife if he still had one by the time this was all completed.

* * *

Later after Parker finished with her exercise break, she fed the horses and ponies their dinner and made sure they had coats on their backs to keep them warm through the storm. Their stalls had plenty of hay in them to make a nice bed. In the morning though, she knew she was going to have to come out in the storm to muck out their stalls and get them cleaned. When she came out she noticed that the ground had almost filled with white. The storm was starting earlier than Monday. As she crossed the street, she had an idea… She tucked it away for later… When she came back inside the farm house Eliot was sitting up and reading an actual book instead of his electronic book reader. He honestly looked very contented to her with him under the lamp. Seriously, why would he want to leave all this behind when he was totally healed; it just didn't seem right…

"Where have you been? It's gettin' late," she thought he was cute; acted like a father up late when his daughter didn't come home at the right hour.

"Horses don't feed and put coats on for the cold all by themselves, Sparky."

"True. You want help with dinner?"

"No, it's all done in the kitchen. Can't you smell that?"

"I wondered what that smell was…" He teased her.

"Well, that is dinner. Gimme a minute to go get cleaned up."

"I'll set the table," he sat up.

"You don't have to."

"I want to."

"Thanks," she tossed his way as she disappeared upstairs.

When Parker arrived at her room she started stripping where she stood and practically poured herself into her shower. She cleaned up after sweating while working out and feeding the animals in the barn. She got out and with a towel wrapped on her head for a couple minutes then wrapped her hair up in a chignon and pinned it in place with some bobby-pins. Then she poured herself into the bikini she had made from a Black Ops uniform. Parker carefully placed the hat on her head after she slipped Eliot's dog tags over her head. Of course she'd nicked those when she helped him move. She wasn't going to be around for Veteran's Day because she was going to be in California and the only real veteran she wanted to impress was Eliot. She adjusted the assets and then put her feet into a pair of military style boots she found to match the outfit. Then it was off for the hitter's inspection…

* * *

Eliot had worried a bit when the game had finished because he didn't hear any sounds of another soul in the house. Then he remembered that she'd told him she was headed out to take care of some things… But that had been several hours ago. It was now six in the evening and dark out. He'd considered going out to find her… But then he decided to pour himself into his book on the coffee table. It was a history on Stormin' Norman from the Desert Storm era. He had to laugh at what parts were true and which parts were totally false because he had been there. Several black ops missions he had been on… She appeared and then disappeared again. At least he'd offered to help her by setting the table as best he could. When he rolled into the kitchen, he noticed she had set two plates and two glasses on the counter for him to be able to reach; utensils were easy because they were within his grasp. He figured that she must have done it while he was watching the football game after lunch. So, with her help, he was able to set the table. Dinner smelled delicious already and he hadn't gotten to see what was on the menu. He could smelt carrots, potatoes, and maybe even celery. He knew it wasn't chicken soup because it had a distinctive beef flavor. He surmised that she had made some kind of pot roast. It would be a good compliment given the weather outside. He'd glanced up and noticed it had started snowing before it had gotten truly dark.

The hitter patiently waited at the table for her. He'd heard the water running upstairs and figured that she was in the shower. He'd started drifting in thought about those days in his past when he was able to take a shower on his own, when he almost missed the dark blob appear in the corner of his sight. Eliot turned his head and there she was… His eyebrow arched in amusement. What the hell was she up to now? Was that a… She was saluting him!

"Private Parker, reporting for Dinner Duty, Sir."

"Why the hell are you dressed like that?"

"Well, I wanted to celebrate Veteran's Day early, you know, in case I forgot. You're the only veteran I know in the area. So I had this made out of a Black Ops uniform and I… Um, temporarily borrowed these from your stuff when we moved you out here."

"Dammit Parker!"

'Dammit was right… She looked damn hot! God, and the way those dog tags sit between her… Um… Nevermind. Pull it together soldier!' Eliot thought as he tried to get back to keeping himself in check.

Though in his heart, he really thought she looked cute… He wouldn't admit it though if forced. He'd never spent a Veteran's Day like this before; and maybe never again… Then she marched off into the kitchen to retrieve dinner.

* * *

Soon they were enjoying her pot roast… She secretly smiled at the expressions on his face as he took the first few bites… She could have sworn that she saw tears forming in his eyes. Parker had no idea that the cooked meat would have such an influence over him. The blond thief worried that he didn't like it… But she watched him take bite after bite so that wasn't it; or was it? Was he just eating it for her sake? She couldn't figure out why he was upset though. It wasn't her place to push… But she had to know…

"What's wrong, Sparky?"

Parker watched him take a minute and erase any evidence of tears before he spoke.

"This reminds me of my mother's pot roast. It's exactly like hers."

Wow, she couldn't believe it… He was comparing his mother's cooking to hers! And it must have been bad just like his mother's or he wouldn't have had tears in his eyes… Was Eliot's mother's cooking bad or was it just her cooking?

* * *

Eliot was so floored when he took those first bites of the pot roast. The flavors were perfect! He couldn't believe it… She had just made a meal just like his mother's recipe. He wondered how she could have gotten his mother's recipe. Then it hit him, she must have found his mother's cookbook in his books when she moved him and copied down the recipe. He had no idea that she had done nothing of the kind… It actually had been a bit of beginner's luck. She had just done it the way she had learned how from the cooking she had done at Juvenile Hall.

"I'm sorry… I'm sorry it's bad," she started to get upset.

"Parker, it's not bad. It's just fine," he tried to soothe her.

"Nope, it's not. Don't patronize and pacify me."

"Dammit Parker, it's fine!"

Then he watched as she stood and ran off past him… And then he heard the front door slam. What The Fuck? He couldn't believe that she'd just done what she'd just done… A heartbeat later, he realized that he could believe it; she was crazy! Especially to escape the moment, bolt outside wearing what she had on; which was next to nothing!

'Dammit Parker!' He thought… Then he wondered if she was purposefully trying to make herself ill…

* * *

Parker stomped her way in the boots of her outfit to the wooden porch swing to the right of the front door. She quickly wrapped herself up in the quilt and sat down on the wood. She curled her legs up under her on her left. It was cold and she saw her breath come out as fog. What drew her out of her dark mood was the fact that even though the sun had gone down, it was still snowing; a little heavier now. So she slowly rocked back and forth in the swing as she watched the frozen water fall. Now if her plan worked, Eliot would come out and check on her. And maybe she could get him to watch it snow with her… And then she could take him inside and drill him a bit as she got him to start his physical therapy… Watching it snow reminded her of the job where the hitter had to dress up like Santa Claus. That was one dream she wouldn't let anyone crush. She believed in Santa Claus even though mean kids she lived with in foster homes and at Juvenile Hall always told her he didn't exist. When she didn't get presents at the foster placements, she just made herself believe that Santa just got lost because she'd moved and hadn't sent him the new address. Some mean kids told her that it didn't matter because he knew the address and that she hadn't been a good girl. Others told her that Santa ran out of presents…


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N - Hiya! Here's an extra update to get you all into the groove of the weekend.**

**Unfortunately, I couldn't give you three chapters as I secretly plotted to do...**

**Last minute, Enrique was being a pain so now I have to go back and do some research in the story to pacify him.**

**A/N - My grandmother is coming home Sunday, so I've got to go back to the grind. **

**That being said, don't know how many will come out next Friday!**

**A/N - Here's a little more romance and some cute fun! C U next Friday!**

**ENJOY and please REVIEW!**

* * *

The hitter finished his meal… He wasn't going to rush good food. If she wanted to sit out in the cold and freeze her ass off, that was her fault. He'd offered that the meal was fine and she threw it back in his face. Well, two could play at that game. He was getting sick and tired of her outbursts… Eliot wondered if he could bribe Sophie to come help him escape the farm… No sense in letting good pot roast go cold. About ten minutes later, she hadn't come in yet. He figured her body temperature had to be dropping by then. He unlocked the wheels on his chair and grabbed his cane from the head of the sofa to sit on his lap as he made his way to the front door. With a little work, he put on his heavy parka jacket Parker must have retrieved from his closet when he wasn't looking. The hitter already had a doubled Vellux blanket across his braced legs. Eliot rolled out the front door and turned to the right as he heard the wood of the swing creak. Then he rolled up to her; a safe distance away so that she didn't hit him with the swing or her booted feet.

"What the hell are you doing out here in the cold, Parker? You need to come inside where it's warm."

"Have you ever seen it snow?"

"Yeah, lots of times. Why?"

"It's so pretty when it snows… So quiet," she was acting like a kid again and staring out at the road behind him.

"Parker, you ain't dressed to be out here watchin' it snow. Go on inside and change your clothes. Then you can stay out here all night if you want."

"Come sit with me," it felt like she totally ignored him.

What was she up to? He wanted to be where it was warm… He sighed. Fine, if it got her inside faster. He could give her ten minutes and then they both were going inside…

* * *

Parker wanted to squeal with happiness when she watched him lock his wheels in place. He pulled the blanket back from his legs and stood with the aid of his cane. He did it all himself as he shuffled to the end of the swing. She stopped its rocking and he tried to sit down but ended up flopping down onto the wood. Then the wily thief stood up and lifted his legs. She pivoted them up on the bench. Then she tucked his blanket around his lower half to keep the exposed flesh inside the braces warm. She was proud of herself at the effort. Then she backed up to him and sat down between his legs… And with a pivot she was there where she could keep warm… Her back was to his chest and there was plenty of room on that swing because she made sure that when she had it built that it would be wide enough to do just the very thing she'd just plotted and got him to do. Parker then just waited for him to naturally to wrap his arms around her to keep her warm…

* * *

Eliot got the sudden feeling that he'd been set up… Royally… He'd really only come out to make her come inside so that he could apologize for yelling at her and explain to her about his mother's cooking…

"Dammit Parker… It's cold out here!"

"Keep me warm then, Sparky!" She barked right back at him.

He sighed and wrapped his arms around her. At least she was keeping his legs warm… Fortunately his ass was covered in sweats they modified into shorts. She sat looking up to the left and watching as the snow fell to the ground behind them. He sighed again as he gave up his quest to go inside and he just sat there with Parker in his lap and arms. Wait… It was like a light bulb abruptly went on within his heart. His heart wanted him to admit that it felt good to have the crazy blond thief in his arms. His mind however, was another story. His brain wanted control back… Hadn't he told her that they were friends? And then she made him admit that they were good friends. They weren't in a relationship… Even good friends don't snuggle together on a porch swing on a snow stormy November night. But his heart fought back, it was kind of romantic if it wasn't so damn cold and they weren't actually doing anything overtly sexual; he was just supposed to keep her warm until she decided that it was time to go inside. He could handle that couldn't he? He'd been through hell, deserts, and war zones… This shouldn't be so bad… Eliot was a conflicted man… So he gave up and watched it snow over his left shoulder while he held Parker in his arms… There was in deed a kind of peaceful quiet in watching the snow as it fell.

* * *

A little over a half hour later, Parker was nice and warm, and Eliot was still wrapped tightly to her quilt covered backside. The snow had stopped falling a bit and she decided it was time to go defrost the hitter popsicle. She practiced a bit of parkour as she rolled out of Eliot's lap and he'd had to let her go.

"Stay, Sparky. I'll be back."

Then she dashed off and went inside the farm house. She folded the quilt into a kind of dress and wrapped it around under her armpits before she tucked one end there between her breasts. Then she grabbed her coat off the hook and put it on to hold the quilt in place. Soon, she rushed back out to Eliot who'd turned and his legs were now on the wood of the porch. He was getting ready to stand. The thief went over and helped him to stand by being under the arm of the non-cane holding hand. Together they got him back into the wheelchair. Then she grabbed the blanket and tucked it in at each hip to cover over his legs. Parker gave him a break and pushed the wheelchair back into the farm house. She took him to the sofa in front of the fireplace. With a little more effort they managed to get him on that comfortable sofa. Then she set about, being a bit primal, and she built a fire… She built a fire that would last at least four hours. Soon warmth flooded the living room. The wheelchair was moved out of the way and she covered him up on the sofa.

"Be right back," she told him as she disappeared upstairs.

To make things a little more fun, she changed out of the bikini she had on and then into an all-white ensemble. Then she put on one of those hot nurse outfits over it; complete with a little nurse's hat. She did up her face with a bit of make-up just for effect; nothing too over the top. Then she headed back to the living room…

* * *

He was tired… She and the cold had taken a lot of energy out of him. He lay there up against the far end of the sofa and he could feel the heat that far away. He worried that she'd built the fire too big and it might burn the farm house down if he didn't have her adjust it… But the thief had put up a fire fence in front of the fireplace so; maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Then his mind drifted off to his mama. He missed her and missed her cooking even more since Parker somehow managed to copy her recipe to the letter; right down to the seasonings… And then there she was…

'Holy Fuck!' Was the first thought that came to his mind as she was standing in front of the fireplace wearing a white nurse's uniform.

Eliot wondered if he'd woken up in a wet dream after he'd just been outside… Maybe his brain had been compromised because of the cold? Was she serious?

"What the hell, Parker?"

"Time to do your physical therapy, Mister Spencer," she spoke seriously.

"Seriously? You're kidding, right?"

"Nope. Not kidding," she knelt down at his right leg.

She uncovered his left leg and began to undo the straps of his brace. Then about a minute later she had it off and on the floor. She gently set his leg down, covered it back up, and reached for the right leg. Soon he was brace free. Now with the left leg uncovered again, she lifted it…

"Now, I'm gonna push your leg up and your knee into your chest, slowly. Just like Doctor Pierce showed us on the paperwork from the hospital when we saw him. Then you have to unbend it for… Straighten it out for you," he wondered why she didn't just come out and tell him to straighten it out for her. "Just tell me when it hurts and I'll stop. I want you to tell me marshmallow when you want to stop because you're tired."

Her voice had been soft and gentle, so he just caved. He nodded and so she gently held his calf in her left hand and his foot in her right as she pushed it inward towards his chest. It hurt and he grit his teeth a bit, but then he pushed back her right hand holding his foot to uncurl his leg. He didn't want her to know that it hurt… Because he worried it would upset her.

* * *

"One more, that's it, Three more to go and then you can rest this leg," she coaxed him…

She knew instinctively that he was in some kind of pain because he hadn't gotten to use his leg muscles in so long. She watched his face from time to time to know that he was gritting his teeth even though he tried not to let it show; she saw his jaw pop out a little when he bit down. Somehow she knew he wasn't going to admit defeat after their conversation at lunch. He wanted to know what army was going to make him do what he was doing… Well, she'd done it. It took a little cold, but she'd gotten him to do it. And he was nice and warm inside the living room.

"There we go… Two more to go, Sparky. Come on… I'll tell you a secret about Alec if you can give me two more…"

"What kind of secret? Is it worth it?" He bartered…

"Depends, gimme one more and find out."

So he did as she asked and she pushed in his leg and he leveled it back out. Just one more and he'd be done with that leg.

"Well?"

"Well what? You owed me two, Mister Spencer."

"Dammit Parker, this better be worth it…"

"That's Nurse Parker to you, and yeah, I think it is."

Once more he completed the movement and she set his left leg down. She covered it up to keep it warm.

"I want my reward…"

"Hardison used to sleep with a teddy bear when we both liked pretzels."

"Dammit Parker, that's not worth it… I knew that."

"Since when," she feigned shock and then narrowed her eyes.

"Since one morning, in San Lorenzo… That's all I'm gonna say."

* * *

The room assignments had been that Nate and Sophie each got one… Separately. Look where that ended up… Hardison, Parker, and he had to share a suite. He had a room apart from the hacker and the thief because he just would not share a king sized bed with those two; a standard bed and room was his, alone. He was up before they were and he went to check up on them. He heard the shower turn on and opened the door. He stealthily popped his head around the corner and spotted Hardison in pajamas, holding a teddy bear. Parker had been in the shower. He snuck back out and closed the door very quietly. She could get the hacker up. He needed to go load the van with his gear. One would ask why he hadn't knocked first, well; he couldn't remember why he hadn't. Maybe he was in a hurry to leave the island? Who knew? But he was granted some information that he could use later if Hardison pissed him off in the future. Eliot actually considered holding the stuffed animal hostage until he got his way if it came down to it.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N - Eliot learns about the Goddess... And there's a mystery character in here... If you can figure it out, I might just have to try and do a multi-update next week!**

**Enjoy and please REVIEW, good or bad...**

* * *

Parker managed to get him to do the five stretches on his right leg without much more of a fight from Eliot. She gently set down his leg and covered it. She walked off into the downstairs bathroom and grabbed a bottle of lotion. Then she came back and took off the outer coat of the outfit; there she was in the beautifully white bikini. She moved both legs over so she could slip onto the couch and then she put both legs over her lap. She uncovered the left one just to above the knee. Parker put some lotion on her hands and warmed it up before she touched it to Eliot's leg.

"What the hell do you think you're doin'?" He wanted to know.

"Silly Eliot, what do you think it looks like?"

* * *

It looked like she was getting all touchy feely with him again, is what it looked like. She started slowly massaging his calf and the tendons around his ankle. It didn't hurt; it actually felt good.

"I'm just relaxing the muscles that we just exercised. They got tensed and we need to relax them or you might get cramping. That's what the paper said. I can't put you in a tub yet because it'll be hard to get you out. You couldn't push yourself up to stand because your legs aren't strong enough yet, Sparky, so sit back and relax. We're done for today."

"How'd you do it? You and your army of one got me to do this tonight."

"Sophie called it, 'Using what God gave me,' but I don't think he gave me anything, the Goddess did."

'Darlin', he gave you plenty…' He thought. 'Goddess? What the hell?'

He knew there was no such thing as a Goddess. He wondered why she thought God gave her nothing… Didn't she believe in God?

"Parker, there's no such thing as a Goddess. God gave you everything you have… Your life, your abilities, your health, and yes, even your wealth…"

"Nope, I got that on my own and Hardison got me the rest of it. I'll tell her you didn't mean that; she exists."

"Don't you believe in God?"

"No, the Goddess gives me what I need."

"Why not?"

"Because you're supposed to be resting, that's why," she changed the subject and he knew he'd hit a nerve.

* * *

Tara walked into the jewelry store on that beautiful early afternoon. Hardison texted her in the cab on the way that Enrique's family would be joining her in about an hour. She texted back she had plenty of time to pick out a ring before she had to be on her best behavior. There was a man with white hair who looked to be maybe in his 70's maybe. He looked very healthy for his age and she detected that he had a slight hint of a tan. He walked with a cane but he didn't look feeble at all. Tara went up to the counter he stood behind. He had a kind, almost mischievous smile.

"May I help you, Madame?"

"Yes, I am here to purchase an engagement ring."

"Very good, let us come over here to our fantastic selection… What did you have in mind for your budget?"

"Money is no option," Tara spoke as she took a seat on the leather office chair on the opposite side of the counter from the older man.

"Well would Madame prefer a large or small stone?"

"Somewhere in the middle perhaps, but toward the smaller end," Tara was just playing around.

"Here we are…" The man set an 8x11 tray of rings in front of her. "Let me know if you have any questions."

"In deed," and the man walked away to give her a few moments.

* * *

Then about two minutes later, four women appeared through the front door. They were obviously the mark's relatives. She could pick them out by the designer dresses and the expensive sunglasses, and the bling they already wore. The older man went down closer to the front of the store and started to help with the ladies' choices on the pieces their husbands would ultimately be purchasing for them. It really didn't take Tara that long to pick a ring out. She caught the older man's attention and he came down to see her.

"Yes, Madame?"

"I'll take this one," she said.

"Now if you will follow me down to the register, we can ring this up for you…" Then he realized the joke about ringing the ring up.

Tara smiled… And then she followed him closer to the register; closer to where the women wandered.

"Yes, it's going to be so wonderful becoming Missus Enrique Villareagos," she spoke just loud enough so that the women overheard her.

"Excuse me," the oldest women of the group took the bait. "Did you say Enrique Villareagos?"

"Yes, do you know him?"

"I do, very much so. I am his grandmother," Tara could tell that the woman wasn't happy.

She probably figured she was some kind of blond gold digger or some prostitute he picked up somewhere at a party. If she did, then Tara knew she was doing her job…

"How do you know my grandson?"

"He asked me to marry him last night. I'm going to meet with my priest on Tuesday, to officiate."

The grifter could tell that the others had joined them and were sizing her up as well.

"That seems a bit unrealistic don't you think?" A younger one of the ladies uttered; he was probably Enrique's Aunt. "You haven't even met his family yet."

"Yeah, what's the rush?" She seemed to be the youngest one, and feisty to boot; probably Enrique's sister-in-law.

"Hey, hey, he's the one who proposed to me last night and I told him I would. He said his grandmother and mother weren't getting any younger and he needed to provide them with more grandkids and maybe a great grand kid or two," really laid it on thick.

She knew that it would piss them off at first and then when they thought about it, they would be pleased because he was finally going to settle down to start a family of his own. They had probably already tried to set him up with as many girls as they could find to get him to stop partying and settle down. And in exasperation had to just give up because he was just too much of a player. Tara was hoping that they were eating it all up… Maybe they would accept her because she tamed him…

"We'll need to check this all out with him," a middle aged woman voiced; probably Enrique's mother.

"Sure, but don't let this news disturb your shopping ladies, please, go back to what you were doing."

* * *

Then the older man reappeared with the credit card Tara handed him and her wrapped ring.

"Here is your purchase, Madame. If you need anything, my name is Archie Douvier."

"Thank you. Have a nice day…" Tara said before she left the building.

The grifter had accomplished her second goal… Now she took a cab and headed back to the hotel. On her way she dialed up the number she had for Enrique.

"Yes?"

"Enrique darling, I met your family today… I was buying that engagement ring you said I could buy and I ran into them. What a coincidence! Anyway, they said they were going to call you…"

She could hear him flipping out on the other end of the line even though it sounded a bit muffled.

"Enrique did not tell you that you could buy that kind of a ring. I said nothing about buying any kind of ring!" He yelled.

Tara pretended to sniffle into the phone… "But you… You said I could. I knew you'd forget. You drank too much last night. You said you would do anything to keep me happy. And that would make me happy… Very happy."

She heard swearing in the background… The grifter knew that she had gotten him into some kind of hot water with the women she met. The only way to get out of it was to make them really mad…

"What did you tell The Enrique's family?"

"I met your grandmother and three other beautiful ladies. I said that you said that they were getting older and that they wanted you to have a family of your own. I have to admit, having a Little Enrique or two running around in our beautiful home would be wonderful," God she hated having to stroke his ego… "I mean you don't want them thinking you're gay do you? Being single for so long and looking as hot as you do…"

The other end of the line went silent for a few minutes… If he didn't take that bait… Then maybe she might have to yank Nate home by the neck and make him help her.

"You want me to be happy don't you? I told them that I was going to go see my priest on Tuesday after confession to get our officiant…"

"Enrique did not know you were Catholic," Enrique was raised Catholic, though he didn't practice it much.

"Is that a problem? You want to put your claim on me… You want me to be your girl don't you?"

"Not at all, perhaps it is time Enrique went back to confession… The Enrique's family would probably kiss him for doing so. When should Enrique get married to the beautiful blond lady?"

"Oh all the planning and being with your family will take months. First we need the dresses, flowers, and cake. Then we need to go over lighting, music styles, and bands or Dee Jays. Then we have to settle on what kind of food and alcohol we want to serve. Then there are those little party favors we'll spend months filling and tying with pretty ribbons," she uttered and she heard him sigh on the line…


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N - Nate comes home early... And Michael Vance moves the team...**

**Love it? Hate it? Please let me know in your REVIEW! Thanks for reading!**

* * *

By the time Parker finished massaging Eliot's calves, the man was sound asleep. She was able to easily slip out from under his legs that were covered by the blanket and slipped off to the kitchen in her white bikini. She put her outer white coat back on and took care of putting the left overs in the Crock*Pot bowl right into the refrigerator. Then she went around the ground floor of the house and changed all the clocks back an hour. That way she wouldn't have to get up at two in the morning and do it. She even went into Eliot's room and changed the clocks in there as well. When she came back, he was still sleeping. Parker knelt down by his head and brushed the hair away from his right eye.

"Hey Sparky, time for bed," she spoke just above a whisper.

He stirred and opened his eyes… She moved away and began to put his leg braces back on. Once they were back on, she helped him to sit up.

"Didn't know I was that tired."

"Well yeah, silly. You exercised your legs that haven't been able to be used much in several months. You're gonna be tired."

Then the blond thief helped him get into his chair and she wheeled him into his bedroom. She locked the chair in place. He got himself up, and onto the bed.

"Do you need anything?"

"Listen, Parker… Your pot roast tasted exactly like my mother's. She used to win awards with her recipe to help support us before I left home to fight for Uncle Sam. My getting upset just brought back some of those good memories. So, thanks."

"I didn't know you had an Uncle Sam… Did he live back in Oklahoma?"

"Dammit Parker! Just go to bed…"

"Fine, night, Sparky."

"Good night, Parker," she closed the door behind her.

* * *

It was Monday in Australia and Nate was glad to be at the airport already… It had been somewhat of a Chinese fire drill trying to get the gang plus luggage there to the terminal. The time had come to get the family moved back to the United States. The mastermind woke up after taking a nap after the little sexting fun he had with Sophie and he had a feeling that he was going to be needed… The baby, Lily Belle Parker slept like the dead… Logan Orion Eliot however, was fussy. So Beretta gave him over to his father, Colt while she helped coordinate her family and their luggage. They had mutually agreed that it was best to leave in the afternoon because by the time they got home to Oregon, it would be in the evening. The kids would be tired and they could go from the plane to a bed… Yes, straight from the plane and into a bed with Sophie to keep him company sounded good… Damn good actually. Though to some degree he had wanted to get off the ride in Los Angeles and check in with Hardison to see what he could learn about Parker's Operation Phantom Cobra, which was not an option because he had to get Eliot's family to the special location.

Soon they were on Air New Zealand flight 138 from Brisbane, Australia to Auckland, New Zealand. They left at 3:25 in the afternoon… Once they reached New Zealand they had to get the whole team to Air New Zealand flight 2 which happened to be almost all the way across the damn airport. Fortunately, they had an hour and five minute layover.

When they reached the right gate, then Henry Winchester and Nate went off in search of snacks… But they didn't wander far.

"So, my son's family is going to be fine after this?" Henry asked as they were waiting in line to place their orders.

"We're doing the best we can to ensure that happens. We'll be going to a secret location my associates have secured for us to go to."

"Definitely far from the danger, right?"

"Exactly," Nate tried to allay the man's fears, even though he was still a bit unsure about that himself.

* * *

Later on after Air New Zealand flight 2 was in the air a little after 4:35 in the afternoon, Nate got the address from Hardison where they were headed. It was decided that it was a good idea just to keep the family in Portland because they would all be soon headed to Parker's farm for Thanksgiving. It was still too risky to send the family home to Fort Bragg, California yet. Beretta thought it might be a good idea to stay away from Eliot because she knew he wasn't going to be good company once his teammate Parker left to go do her part of the job. Then before they knew it, they were landing again… Nate was glad to be back in the states. Once they made it through the customs at the Los Angeles International Airport, they had another two hour layover… But this time, it wasn't so bad of a trek to their next gate. Then United Airlines flight 5488 picked them all up. Fortunately, Colt and Henry went off to get everyone some dinner before they boarded. Even though they were all in first class, sometimes the food just didn't float the boat. And after about an hour flight, the plane touched down in Portland, Oregon at 7:45 the same day they left Australia… Nate slept on the flight, so he was ready to get down to getting back into the groove of things at home. Instead of renting a car, Sophie was there holding up a sign…

She was dressed in one of her cute limo driver uniforms with the cap. They got the car loaded and Nate sat with Sophie in the front. The window had to be up between the sections so that the lovebirds in the front could have some privacy. He gave her a quick kiss hello, because they were in a loading zone and had to keep things moving. She promised to collect the earned interest on that kiss later when they could be alone.

* * *

That Sunday morning, Parker was up just before dawn and she was in cleaning the horses' stalls while Eliot still slept. She started with the largest horses and worked her way down to the ponies. It took her several hours and then she finished up with feeding the horses. There was a slight gap in the storm, but the clouds in the sky said there was more snow coming in, maybe in the early afternoon… She left enough food in their stalls to last them through until dinner. Parker was a bit hot, sweaty, and smelled like a barn when she came back into the farm house. The thief spied him standing in the kitchen right away as she heard what she knew was a knife hitting the cutting board. Eliot was pushing his luck… She saw him leaning against the counter while he was cutting up some kind of fruit. She supposed he was trying to get his legs used to his weight. He wasn't moving on them, but he still had a fall risk. He had a bowl out on the counter and it looked like he had been trying to make up a fruit salad. Beyond the bowl it looked like he'd made crepes. When she saw those her stomach growled… Obviously it was loud enough that it got Eliot's attention, because he startled a bit. He kept his balance though, which didn't look too easy with those braces on his legs.

He gave her his typical, 'Dammit Parker,' for startling him; but she didn't care. His wheelchair was off to the side, so if he fell, he'd land right on his ass, and possibly hit his head. No, no, no. So Parker went up and stood up against him, her full front to his whole backside, and her arms went around his waist. She gently placed the right side of her crown against his t-shirt covered back. The thief didn't say a word, but she held on to make sure he didn't fall, but then again he couldn't move either…

* * *

"Parker, you have to let me go."

"But you could fall and get real bad hurt," Eliot couldn't help but chuckle a little; he'd never admit it to the others though.

"Real bad hurt, Parker? Seriously? You know English…"

"And you know you're not supposed to be standing here all by yourself, Sparky. So, I'm here to make sure you don't fall."

"Parker, I want to sit down before the food gets cold. You can help by putting the food on the table in the dining room."

"You sit first then I go."

"Fine, whatever floats your boat."

"I don't have a boat… Not yet anyway."

The hitter sat down in the chair she pulled over to be behind him. Then true to her word, she disappeared. He figured that was best since she did smell like a barn. He'd gotten up that morning and decided to get back into the kitchen. He knew crepes would be easy and quick to make for breakfast; and they didn't require much energy. At first he wondered why Parker wasn't up and moving around making floor boards creek. And then he recalled that the crazy blond thief had taken on the awesome responsibility of caring for the titans of the horse world, their cousins, and the smallest ponies. They had to be fed and their stalls cleaned. Parker had no one else to help her and he obviously couldn't go out in snow or the stormy weather unless it was just to the porch. Soon enough, Parker was back and he was glad she'd chosen to wear a sweater and a pair of overalls. Her hair looked slightly damp; severely pulled back in a high and tight ponytail.

"You want bigger goals and you're pushing your body, so since you want to stand on your own, we'll take ten steps from the sofa to the kitchen."

"Might be able to arrange that. Then what?"

"Then you rest… And I mean rest until we do your leg stretching exercises."

"Yes ma'am," he teased her. "Just what am I supposed to do during all that rest?"

"Read a book or something… Sit on your thumbs… Whatever… But you can't push yourself harder than I think you're ready for."

"Since when do you get to say what I can and can't do, Parker?" He felt his pride bubbling to the surface.

"Since I saved your life… You owe me," the blond spoke matter of fact; he could tell she wasn't joking.

* * *

He owed her, dammit! She was the one who called on the Goddess to save his life and brought healing powers to his body through her rose quartz. She'd been there with him every step of the way since he laid there bleeding all over her in the back of the van. And she was going to help him get back on those feet. She just thought if he rushed, he might have a setback… She couldn't think about that since she had to be leaving in a few days… However, what she did start thinking about was what if Eliot didn't want to accept Sophie doing his physical therapy while everything was going down in California.

* * *

Sam opened up the trunk as the other three of the members of the team got out of the expensive town car. Vance had decided it was best to move the team closer to the Port of Los Angeles; kind of like sitting right under the noses of the enemy. Fi came around to the back of the car and reached in for her duffel bags.

"Welcome to our home for the next… Days maybe weeks," Vance spoke as he unlocked the door to the apartment.

"Dibs on the shower first thing in the morning," Fi announced as she crossed the threshold.

"Where's the last cherry yogurt?" Mike Westen said as he looked down into the empty ice cooler.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N - Enrique has to face the music and Beretta offers her help...**

**Hope you like it! Please let us know if you like it or hate it in your REVIEWS****!**

**(Honestly, it's the only way we know if we should keep going or not...)**

* * *

Sophie pulled up in front of the building across from her apartment. Hardison rented a suite in the building across from Sophie's place in case they needed a place to run to. Sure it would have been easy to put up the family at the grifter's home but Sophie made it clear, she didn't want strangers in her house as she thought of the stolen art work everywhere. Of course she didn't tell Hardison about the stolen art work. Only Nate knew of what she had in her apartment, if only because he helped steal it or it had once been insured by IYS. She yanked Nate over the center console and gave him another kiss after she parked the limo. Then Nate got out and headed for the back of the vehicle. She got out and headed for the entrance of the building.

* * *

Beretta got out of the car and Colt handed her Lily Belle. Colt got out and helped Nate with his family's luggage. Sophie headed toward the building with Beretta behind her. She followed the grifter to the apartment's door. Then the door was open and the women entered the place. It was nicely decorated with two comfortable looking sofas in the living room. After Hardison had secured the apartment, Sophie had gone out and purchased two cribs, a nappy changing table, and a rocker to go into an empty bedroom. She had bought them pre-made so she didn't have to put them together…

"Darling, there are two bedrooms and a nursery for changing nappies and snoozing. We provided the nursery in the third bedroom."

"I'm sure it's all wonderful. I can't thank you all enough."

"Just thank Eliot when you get to see him again."

"When will that be?"

"Hopefully soon, my dear."

"I hope so too," Beretta missed the other part of her family.

She remembered that Parker had said that they were coming home after she headed off to Los Angeles… Beretta wondered why they had come home early. Nate hadn't spoken to them about why they had to return early. She wondered if something bad had happened… But she assumed if something bad had happened that they would have told them. Beretta followed the grifter back out to the living room after she put Lily Belle to bed in the crib in the nursery. Nate and Colt appeared, with Henry and Patricia right behind them, each of the men with a piece of luggage or two. Patricia had Logan asleep on her shoulder. She looked at Sophie and noticed the desire in the grifter's eyes when Nate appeared. She had an idea… Nate had sacrificed himself for her family; to follow and protect them from the bad men her mother had gotten involved with. So, time had come for his reward…

"Sophie," she whispered, "Why don't you and Nate take off for a couple hours? We'll stay quiet here and I'm sure you both can either bring us food. Or one of us can sneak out quickly for food. Most likely, we're gonna all go down for a nap because of the jet lag. The poor man deserves it for putting up with my family in a foreign country for so long."

"The job comes first, my dear," she couldn't believe Sophie was turning down her offer. "Besides, Nate is focused elsewhere at the moment. We talked in the front seat. He's worried about Parker but he doesn't know why yet."

"You think something bad is gonna happen to her?"

"I'm crossing my fingers that it doesn't, but Parker is crazy and can be inclined to go off the plan…"

"I see. She told me she'll be leaving Eliot soon. I know he won't be happy. I'd be willing to go with you if you need some support in handling him."

"I'll keep that in mind, love."

"Because I know how Eliot can be…"

* * *

After breakfast, Parker went off to her office on the second story of the non-equestrian barn. She dialed up the hospital and got a hold of a number for a service. They had a list of people that she could hire to come and they would make sure he kept up with his physical therapy. She also decided to have a massage therapist come as well to relax his muscles after working them out. Parker dialed up the service and had to leave a message since it was Sunday. After she left the message she went to the storage cabinet in the garage below her office. While there, she found the pair of snow shoes Sophie suggested she get just in case the snow got too high. She pulled them out of the cabinet and then headed out of the side door. Parker closed the door behind her and crossed the dirt road to the back of the house. She hid the shoes under a tarp that covered over a grill. Obviously, it was too cold to use the grill outside so it became the perfect place to hide the snow shoes. Then she marched back to the barn and finished checking her gear. After that she went to visit the horses in the barn… She had snuck out of the farm house with a couple pockets full of apples and carrots.

* * *

Eliot was hunting around the living room for his electronic book reader when he happened to look up and out the window. There was Parker carrying snow shoes across the dirt, snow covered drive to the side of the farm house where she disappeared. Where was she headed with snow shoes? He wondered what she was up to when she came back and headed back to the barn without them. The hitter then rolled over to the bookcase and his reader was there on a shelf just above his eye level. He spied the corner of the reader and reached up to retrieve it. He sighed, one more thing he could do for himself. Then he went back to his room. He sat in the chair under the lamp and covered up with his vellux blanket. Soon he was catching up on reading the book list he put together for the year before he got injured…

* * *

Enrique knew he was screwed… He just knew that his family wouldn't accept this Tanya Kramer as his wife… She wasn't Brazilian, nor of South American decent… Off all the members of his family, his grandfather, Raoul, the leader of the cartel, wouldn't approve of her. They all would see her as a gold digger, but he knew she had her own money… And he was more than happy to spend it for her. How the hell was he going to tell his grandfather that he was going to marry her? He grabbed his keys and headed for the home his grandfather kept when they were visiting Los Angeles. Enrique parked in the driveway and went inside the mansion. He found his grandfather in his office, by the fireplace.

"So, you're getting married…" he started the conversation.

"How did you find out?"

"Your grandmother called me."

"Oh."

"When did you plan to tell us?"

"Honestly, I hadn't planned on getting married…"

"Your grandmother thinks you knocked this woman up."

"No, we haven't slept together. She blew my dick though…"

"Good… What? You should go to confession for that sin. What are your plans with her? You haven't exactly wanted to settle down recently…"

"I didn't have any until she told me I told her to pick out a ring…"

"What do you know about her?"

"She has her own money, grandfather… She does coke only at parties and she is Catholic. She went to confession today before she went to the jewelry store according to Juan."

"Did you tell her about the family business?"

"No, but she had her own stash last night. She came to me when she ran out, asked me to get her more."

"Your grandmother wants grandchildren or I would tell you to get rid of her… Watch her."

Enrique took it to heart. Yes, he would watch her, now more closely than before… She wanted to be his girl… She was going to have to put up with giving up her coke habit for the kids they might have, put up with body guards, and constant surveillance 24/7. He hoped that the women in his family would accept her into the folds once they were married. Shit… He was already starting to accept that he was going to get married… A player no more. Shivers ran up his spine… Now what was he going to tell his grandmother, mother, sister-in-law, and sister.

"I'm also pulling you off of the Chilean shipment. You can't focus on the shipment if you're planning a wedding. I don't want to hear complaints… And you'll have to start pre-marital classes with either her priest or Father Salvador. Those will be essential if you want to get married in the Catholic Church."

And there it was… His status had just been taken down several pegs… But he was right. He had to get this marriage business dealt with. Hadn't Tanya said it was going to take several months? Enrique wanted to go against his gramps and complain, but he knew it was useless. He damn sure wanted to know who his replacement was. Maybe he could still provide some input…

"Who's my replacement?"

"I've already called your Uncle Manuel. He's checking on the delivery status as we speak."

"He's not so bad. Tony would be a better choice, I think, but you're in charge."

"I do agree he's got some issues with his wife trying to get him to put a bun in her oven, but he has proven himself to not be distracted when it came to our business. Speaking of business, did you hear me tell your grandmother she could buy a one hundred thousand dollar ruby and diamond necklace?"

"No, why?"

"It would seem that the married men in this family have suddenly gone crazy and authorized our women to go on a jewelry shopping spree."

"I see."

"I don't dare tell the men to tell their wives to send the pieces back. They've been oohing and ahhing since they left the store according to Darrin. He said they then went shopping to find clothing and accessories to match the damn pieces… That shipment is going to have to pay for it all…"

"But gramps, it's not like we can't afford to pay for any of it outside the shipment…" Enrique spoke knowing that the family was worth billions…

* * *

Parker fed the horses and ponies the sweet treats, added a bit more feed to their bins anyway, and changed their water to make sure it was fresh. When the snow melted, she was actually kind of looking forward to riding them all… Except for the ponies but that was only because they were too small. Then she came inside and Eliot wasn't in sight. She did spy his bedroom door open on her way to change her clothing before he got a whiff of her. The blond saw him with his head bowed and he was sound asleep. He looked at peace so she left him alone as she quietly tried to make it upstairs to her room. Once she made it there, she stripped down and hit the shower. Then she found some flannel pajamas in her dresser and put them on. She dried her hair and then she was off, back down to Eliot's room. She sat down on the hardwood floor by the door frame and watched him sleep. Parker hated to disturb him, so she didn't and left him alone. She closed the door as quietly as possible. She went into the kitchen and emptied the dishwasher before she went off in search of her electronic book reader…


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N - Our dear Quinn strays a bit and Parker gets growled at...**

**Hope you enjoy it!**

**Please review when you can, good or bad.**

**Thanks.**

* * *

Parker sat down on the sofa after turning up the heat a little after her shower. She still had her Looney Toons, Taz the Tasmanian devil slippers on her feet to keep them warm. They were a gag Christmas gift from Hardison; she got him multi-colored toe socks. Just as she was about to start reading more on gardening, her cell phone began to buzz in the pocket of her flannel pajama top. She saw that it was from a private number and answered it; though she didn't say a word to let the other person talk first.

"Parker?"

"Hey Archie."

"How's it going, kiddo?"

"Slow actually," she spoke lowly.

"How come you're talking just above a whisper?"

"Eliot's asleep and I don't want to wake him."

"I see. Well, it went off without a hitch yesterday. Your Tara was perfect… The women left the store with expensive pieces and I left the store with my own little bonus."

"I knew you would… Didja get me a Christmas present too?"

"Maybe, my dear. You'll just have to wait and see…" Archie teased. "How's it going with you and Spencer?"

"My gear has been checked and rechecked," she tried to deflect her answer at first. "I'm ready to leave but the leaving part…"

"Parker…" he gave her a warning tone, because he knew her tactics…

"I don't really want to leave but this job is mine and I have to run it if I want to run my own crew someday. I can't quit now, we're all so close to being done. Loyalty never used to be a complicated trait for me before, because I had none. You always taught me to look out for number one…" she realized that being with Eliot for so long, one on one said a lot about her too.

"If he is an honorable man, he will find a way to forgive you, Parker. He knows the job is important for you and his family. And although his first instinct is to protect you both; he knows he has to let you go and trust that you won't get yourself in a jam, so to speak. Like how you nearly got yourself caught on that potato job."

"He's sending Quinn as his backup. Do you think I could run my own crew someday?"

"There is still much to learn, but you have potential. After all, you were taught by the best."

"Nate's taught me so much…"

"You wound me, Mademoiselle," he teased.

"Yes, and you too."

"Remember I was first…"

"How could I forget all the things you drilled into my brain?"

"And you're better off for it. Your career rivals my own… And someday you will become the greatest thief, beyond my achievements. You are one of my greatest achievements, Parker.

"I thought your children were your greatest achievements…"

"I have to keep up appearances… Unfortunately, you will always have to be my secret true legacy, but I think that should always be something special we share."

Parker didn't know what to say to that. She supposed she should feel honored; though it still stung that she couldn't be a part of his family. But then she remembered that she had a family… And maybe someday she could add Eliot's step-sister and her family to her family.

"Will you need any more assistance?"

"I don't think so. Thanks for all your help…"

"No problem, my dear."

"Listen… Archie… If something goes wrong… And I don't make it… There's a will and important stuff I've put in a special place. The first clue to where it's hidden will be sent to Nate when I die. Make sure he gets to those papers."

"I hear you, but don't talk that way. You will make it… I've taught you well."

"Thanks. Enjoy the rest of your afternoon."

The blond thief didn't know where all that came from. She was going to make it; she knew it. She sighed and decided it was time for lunch.

* * *

Quinn was able to escape Tara's hotel room without being spotted. He had packed up what he needed to from her room so there was no trace he'd been there. He escaped to the car he rented for the next week and headed out for something to eat. He ended up finding some coffee and bagel shop that had an open air patio. The hitter was dressed in a black sweat suit and gave off a look that he didn't want to be disturbed. It weighed on his mind that she was pretending to get married to another man according to some of the plan Tara told him about before he'd fallen asleep. He knew it wasn't appropriate to ask her to marry him in the middle of a job, and now it was even more dangerous since her hotel room and the hotel were being watched. He wasn't going to have much access to her much now until the end of the job. And really the annoying hacker hadn't given him anything to do yet, nor had the thief… So what was the harm in taking a little side job to pass the time until he was needed. Parker wasn't even in California yet, so he really couldn't watch over her. At least he was honest enough with himself that he knew he couldn't be around Tara or he might blow her cover or his own before the time was right. Quinn opened his cell in one hand while a large Irish coffee was in the other hand. He'd stolen a little bottle from the mini bar in Tara's room to add the extra oomph to the Irish coffee.

The man's fingers pushed a few buttons on the numerical keypad and soon he was connected to someone who could facilitate finding a side job while he waited for instructions from Parker and her team. Rumor had it that there was a need for a bodyguard in Los Angeles for some celebrity coming in for a charity event. This person was an A-Lister happened to have stalkers so they needed lots of protection. It didn't sound so bad… Really… It was better than sitting around listening to Hardison complaining that the people around him had a gratitude deficiency for his skills and his kind of work. He called the contact number and took the job. It was only going to be for a day anyway and the pay was good. Then after that, the celebrity would move on to the next city, next press junket, and the next security team. He had to be ready to go by four in the afternoon…

* * *

Parker went into the kitchen and made herself a sandwich. As she was spreading the crunchy peanut butter on the piece of white bread she decided to put two together for Eliot in case he woke up. He'd had at least an hour nap, she guessed. She wasn't totally sure because she wasn't there when he fell asleep, as she was out with the horses and ponies. It was time to get him fed and then more stretching of those muscles. Then he could rest before dinner. What was for dinner anyway? For sure, the hitter was going to be too tired to cook. She put plastic wrap over Eliot's sandwiches and put it in the refrigerator with the rest of the fixings. Next, out came the red notebook to the counter as she ate a corner off of her triangle cut chunky peanut butter and strawberry preserves sandwich that was in her other hand. She took her special medicine and then took a sip of the milk in her glass. She hadn't made her usual, 'Monster,' sandwich because she wasn't that hungry. Parker flipped through the pages as she looked for something she hadn't made for the hitter yet. Well, he'd had her pumpkin soup, a simple skillet dinner, her tacos, and her pot roast… Hmmm, she couldn't really find anything that floated her boat… And then she thought about her barbecue chicken… It was a nice summer item she didn't have to take outside on the grill. She could've cooked it inside just as easily, but then she opened the refrigerator and changed her mind. They had some left over pot roast to use up…

With the red notebook put away, Parker went off to go get Eliot and bring him out to lunch. She lightly rapped on Eliot's door. When he didn't answer, she popped her head around the wooden door. To her surprise, he was still asleep. The thief knew it would be forward of her, but she decided to do what she had in her mind anyway. She leaned in a little closer and brushed his hair back from his temple before she placed a butterfly-light kiss there on his flesh. Then she backed away quickly and waited. A smile appeared on his face and then his eyes fluttered open… His eyes looked up at her and then he frowned. She wasn't sure she was expecting that kind of reaction considering he smiled, but she could believe it considering is recent attitudes.

"Afternoon, I came to get you for lunch, Sparky-meister."

He actually growled at her… But that didn't stop her. She made him get into his wheelchair so that she could get him into the living room. Parker had a plan…

* * *

Eliot had fallen asleep to his dream Parker once more. The dream version of Parker hadn't been around in a while and he wondered if her reappearance maybe had something to do with him being relaxed enough. After all, he had fallen asleep. She'd appeared in a beautiful pastel pink sun dress, barefoot, and with her hair down and straight; only a few wavy curls were there. She took him to a patch of grass in a meadow where she had a blanket laid upon the grass. There were a few accent pillows there to lean on if he so desired. She sat down and pulled him down with her… Then he lay down upon the pillow she'd placed across her thighs. Dream Parker began to stroke the long and nimble fingers on her hand through his hair to his scalp slowly. In her other hand she had something resembling his electronic book reader. She was reading him the text of the book he'd looked over before he'd fallen asleep. It had been a nice long visit and then she brushed the hair from his temple and then leaned in before she placed a light kiss to his temple. He smiled that he was happy, but then something was different about the way she kissed his flesh. It felt real… There was no possible way that Dream Parker could have given him a kiss that was that real, unless… Dammit! The real Parker had tried to wake him from his nice dream and that upset him a little…

He opened his eyes and yeah, she was there. The real Parker… What the hell is a Sparky-meister? He didn't like being disturbed when he had really good dreams. And so in his grumpy state, he growled at her. He hoped it would get her to leave, but no such luck. She kept nagging him until he finally gave in and got into his chair, just to shut her up. Soon he was wheeled to the living room where she helped him onto the sofa. She had him sitting up and she took his braces off once he was settled. She covered them with a blanket and then Parker turned on Netflix on her X-Box. Soon a movie called, Kid Galahad, with Elvis Presley was beginning to play and she disappeared after she adjusted the sofa pillows behind his back. Once again, he wasn't sure what the blond thief was up to… A few minutes later, she returned with a plate with two sandwiches cut in half on it and a glass of milk in the corner of the tray. Parker took up her seat under his calves and they rested on her lap.

"For physical therapy today we're going to work on tapping your foot and lifting your leg up off of my thighs, one at a time," she spoke in a kind but commanding voice.

He grabbed a triangle cut section of the sandwich from the plate on the tray she'd set down within his reach on the coffee table. Then he took a big bite out of it so that he didn't have to answer her. She took his left foot in her hand and began to point it for him, slowly up and then slowly down.

"Let me know when you need a break. Each foot should be able to do ten, up and downs…"


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N - WARNING: MATURE ADULT MATERIAL AHEAD!**

**After all, this is chapter 20 and the story is rated M...**

**So enjoy and please KEEP FEEDING Parker with CANDY!**

**That means, please REVIEW!**

**It's almost Halloween and Parker needs candy or Eliot might have to take her Trick or Treating!**

**And he really, really doesn't want to... **

**A/N - Sorry it's only one update this week. I had some serious health issues to deal with this past week.**

**Love to all!**

* * *

About an hour later, Parker was down to massaging his calves again, relaxing his muscles. Even though it felt like she did most of the work, Eliot did put forth a lot of effort. He didn't realize he'd been doing a lot because the movie was distracting him. She was glad to see he'd finished everything on the plate, including the milk. She'd slipped him a little something to help relax his body after exercising those muscles. Pleased with herself that he'd at least made it through half of the movie before the muscle relaxer she'd put in the milk kicked in, Parker slipped out from under him and then covered the rest of him up to enjoy the rest of his nap while the movie finished in the background. She'd turned the volume down a bit though. There was enough heat in the room as she looked out one of the windows next to the wall were the thermostat had been installed in. The sky had gotten dark again and the storm that they had talked about dumping snow on Monday was actually early. Parker knew it was going to start snowing again soon. The more she thought about it, the pot roast would be good to warm up her rumbly tummy since it was going to be cold out…

Lunch was over and Parker curled up under a throw in one of the big chairs in the living room; where she could keep an eye on Eliot. She started her reading again but when the first yawn hit her, she decided to take a nap herself. So the thief curled up into a vertical fetal position, enveloped inside the blanket, and went to sleep. The thief had a dream not too long after she closed her eyes, of her on the back of the black shire called Giant. She was riding him as he galloped in and out of trees on a meadow. He was happy and so was she… And they sailed right by Eliot, who had his jaw hanging in shock, that she was riding a horse of that size; actually riding a horse… And laughing like a mad woman. Then he dared to chase after her on his tiny Arabian, Sea of Midnight to try and stop her to make sure she was alright; to make sure the horse just wasn't taking her for a ride and she was hanging on.

* * *

When the women came dressed to the nines to dinner, the men were a bit aghast at all the new bling their women were showing off… The family always dressed for dinner; it was an unwritten rule started by Raoul's father. The wives explained that they were celebrating Enrique's recent engagement; with a major shot of sarcasm. Of course the men were abruptly shocked once more.

"Since when is my son engaged?" Carlos asked as he reached for the bottle of red wine Manuel had been opening.

"This afternoon apparently," Carmella Villareagos, Carlos' wife spoke.

"She's already picked out a ring," Yesenia voiced before she passed on the dish of food next to her on the right.

"I have handled the situation," Raoul announced…

"Just how are you doing that, my husband?" Maria Elena wanted to know.

"I told him his responsibilities to this family and that he'd need to see Father Salvador right away."

"At least he's got the good sense to put a ring on it before he's tried to sleep with her," Yesenia tossed in for a little shock value. "Or has he grandfather?"

"Yesenia! Enough," Maria Elena chided her grandson's wife.

"I can't say that I approve of my son getting married to this white woman, but, I am not getting any younger and I want to be able to play with my grandchildren before I meet God."

"Speaking of soon to be wedded bliss, where is Enrique?" Isabel, Manuel's wife asked.

"Don't know actually," Tony added, which was odd, because he was usually in the know.

* * *

Parker opened her eyes and found the room dark, well, because she had the throw up over her head. She reached for and turned on her electronic book reader to use it like a flashlight. Then she moved the blanket and the room was indeed dark. She made it safely across the room to the kitchen and flipped on the light. The hitter wasn't on the sofa where she'd left him when she turned around to check on Eliot.

"Sparky?" She called out.

"In here, Parker," he called back from the direction of the downstairs bathroom.

She sighed. He was okay. Now, time to heat up dinner. She went about the kitchen getting a couple bowls and utensils while the pot roast and vegetables were heating up in the microwave. Soon, she had the table set and the food on the table. A few minutes later, Eliot rolled up to an empty spot at the table.

"You slipped me something again, didn't you?" He accused her.

"Yeah, I did, and you know what… It took your pain away and kept the swelling down. We worked your legs harder at lunch than we had the first time," she barked back in her own defense; with narrowed eyes. "I thought having a little less pain after working so hard would be a good thing, so, so you just keep on crucifying me if it makes you happy."

Parker speared a chunk of meat and ate it as she looked away from him. She had to, to keep from tearing up. She thought of Sterling in a tutu to try and pull her emotions together to stay sane. Someday, she hoped that he would see that everything she did for him was for his benefit…

* * *

Eliot had been watching the movie when he began to feel a little bit loopy. Then he wondered if the milk had tasted funny… And if so, why? He got sleepier as his eyelids got heavier. The hitter didn't remember ever getting that tired from milk before when he had it at home. His mind made up that he would bark at Parker later for drugging him again, because he was too damn tired to fight now. Then Dream Parker showed up in his dreams, this time she was dressed like a country girl… She had her hair in a couple of cute braided pigtails. She wore those denim shorts that were right up there with Daisy Dukes, a blue, black, and white plaid country shirt over a white tank top tucked into those shorts; the ends of the plaid shirt tied just up under her breasts. And on her feet were the cutest cowgirl boots in a milk chocolate brown; they came up about six inches above her ankle. To make matters more fun, she was sucking on some cherry red lollypop. The look in her eyes spoke volumes… So his mind led them to end up in a hay loft together. His red and black plaid shirt open; revealing his hairless and muscled chest. Her fingers play walked across his six pack of abs and he didn't seem to mind as he was spent. He had gone commando and his jeans were open, zipper down in his dream, and she'd already blown his cock. Her short shorts were gone and her tank top was still bunched up above her breasts; the shirt untied.

When the hitter woke up, it was dark. He turned and sat up. He could feel that his legs were lighter. His braces weren't on and there really wasn't a way to find them in the darkness. But he had to feel around in the dark, until he turned on the lamp by the sofa. Eliot found his braces and put them on before he got up and got back into the wheelchair. His bladder was full and wasn't going to wait much longer… He noticed the blanketed hump on one of the lounge chairs, so he turned the lamp out and used his memory to navigate around the furniture. The hitter made it to the bathroom without bumping into the wall or other furniture. He was seated and taking care of his business when he heard Parker call out. He detected a bit of panic in the tone of her voice so he answered her right away. It took some time but he came out when he was ready and rolled to the space at the table where Parker had removed a chair; it was across from hers. And as soon as he locked the wheels in place, he was all over her like white on rice. Eliot faulted Parker for drugging him again. She'd done it so often since they'd left the hospital that he had to kick himself for not realizing it sooner. So, she let him have it… And he was taken down a few pegs. She had only been trying to make him feel better after doing his exercised, his heart reasoned and it immediately made him feel guilty.

He wasn't really intentionally trying to crucify her; he just wanted her to stop drugging him. She could just offer him the medication instead of crushing it and putting it in whatever he drinks… He thought he saw a hint of her eyes trying to tear up, but then she had turned her head and avoided his gaze.

"Look Parker, you can't just drug me whenever you feel like it. Just give me the damn pills next time, will ya?"

It surprised him that she didn't have a quick jab back at him; not even a narrowed eye or anything. He hoped that he got through to her. It wasn't really his fault was it? Was it wrong to tell her that she needed to stop drugging him? Should he have gone to Sophie to tell her? He didn't know, but it felt right that he told her to cut it out.

* * *

After dinner, the quietest she'd had to date with him, because she really had nothing more to say to him that evening. Not after he'd jumped down her throat like that. Parker put on her overalls and her heaviest coat before she went outside. She decided to check on the horses. Fortunately, the coats that she'd bought for the horses were thick for cold weather. The temperature was definitely dropping so the snow would be coming in again. She put more food out for them just in case and gave them each a rub on their noses, which seemed strange… But she was starting small to help her get over her fear of them. Yes, take a deep breath and exhale. Then start small and build. Aside of the gardening reading on her electronic book reader, she had been reading up on horses and ponies. Then she headed back to the farm house as the first flakes of the storm had fallen to the snow still on the ground. Parker went right to the kitchen and made her a hot chocolate with small marshmallows. She took her special medicine and then took a sip before she carried it up to her room. She avoided stopping by Eliot's room even though she saw a light shine under his door. Once she was in her room, she set her electronic book reader on her bed and her mug on the nightstand. The thief got ready for bed and then crawled in between her flannel sheets. She did some reading and then killed off her hot chocolate. About an hour later, she got sleepy enough and she turned off the light. She turned off her electronic book reader and put it on the night stand.

Parker sighed and closed her eyes… The dream that came to her that night was interesting… When she reached her dream state… Dream Eliot was there to meet her. He was dressed in a tuxedo and she looked down to find herself in a cobalt blue, off one shoulder, evening gown. They were on a job and Eliot took her by the hand and led her through an unmarked door. It looked like the couple was in a bedroom owned by their mark. The dream hitter listened for any evidence someone picked up on their presence and when he gave the all clear, he began to wildly kiss her until they were both almost breathless. Then the dress on the one shoulder was caressed down and then both her breasts were exposed. His mouth suddenly upon her delicate nipples, tasting and massaging them before he wildly kissed her again. She hiked up the bottom of her gown and he planted his mouth on a pair of black, lacy, thong panties. Her senses were heightened because they had the very real chance of getting caught and blowing the whole con. Then Parker thought she was going to die from the amount of pleasure quickly coursing through her body as he tried to use his mouth to excite her button of desire. One hand grabbed an ass cheek as the other reached up, cupped her breast, and kneaded it in his palm.

When she was close to exploding into a million pieces, Dream Eliot stopped. He stood and she reached for his belt. Soon she was licking and sucking on his cock to get him ready for her warm, wet sheath under her dress. And when he was hard enough, he stood her up, bent her over a bench, and took her from behind by just moving the crotch of her panties out of the way. Parker kept quiet so they wouldn't get caught, but God, she wanted to scream. His hands were gripped tight onto her hips as he fucked her in one of the bedrooms at the mark's mansion. From time to time one of Eliot's hands came up and cupped her breast. He leaned over her and kissed the side of her neck. He couldn't mark her to show he had a claim on her since they were on a job, but he wanted to let her know she was his, in her mind. Dream Eliot grunted as he fucked her faster. And soon he came inside of her as he kissed her passionately. It triggered her to come in her dream, and Parker kissed him back hard. Then the dream version of the hitter pulled the strip of her panties back over and pulled her dress back down over her ass. She pulled the top of her dress up over her breasts and put it back over one shoulder. She was quite surprised that she'd had such a damn good orgasm and no one had caught them. But then, it was her dream and she had the say so as to what happened.

That dream finished and she seemed so happy; almost if she were on a high. And just like a bipolar person, she slipped into a low. Sadness came in and reminded her that she was about to leave the real Eliot to finish her job. She wished he was there to have her back, but he was injured so that just wasn't possible. And then Parker thought of Quinn… And she decided to provide him a little more protection than he probably wanted… But she didn't want Tara upset at her for getting her man killed. So in the morning, she had some calls to make… One to get Quinn a Kevlar vest to wear under the suit he was to wear as El Fantasma's emissary, a call to hire someone to take care of the animals she had at the farm; and more…


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N - WARNING: ADULT SEXUAL CONTENT**

**I hope you like it...**

**Please review and fill Parker's coffers with candy!**

**Thanks!**

* * *

In the morning, Parker opened her eyes and stretched like a cat, on her flannel covered mattress. The sun should have been up already but it was still quite a bit dark due to the storm. She could see snow still falling from a window. She laid there in bed and tried to remember her dreams of the night before. Some of it came back to her in racy scenes that sort of surprised her, because she saw them intermingled with sad scenes. Most of the sexual ones she filed away to recall later, but the sad ones helped her to recollect that she needed to make some phone calls… But first, she needed to get up and get dressed to go check on the animals in the barn. The larger horses had to be hungry already and the stalls would need to be cleaned of the previous night's mess. But after that morning and some phone calls, she wouldn't have to do any more feeding and cleaning up. Parker threw back the covers and headed for her closet. She dressed and went into the bathroom for the rest of her necessities. She brushed her hair and pulled it up into a ponytail. The blond thief brushed her teeth and away she went. Her boots were by the front door so she padded over in her socked feet and slipped them on. Eliot obviously wasn't up and making noise yet so she figured it was safe. She went out the back door to the place where she had the snow shoes hidden. Once they were on, she headed to the barn.

Giant was the first one to greet her when she came in. Parker went right to work and took him out of his stall. She walked him out and tied him up to a hitching post while she got the wheelbarrow. She cleansed his stall and put fresh hay in it before she put him back inside. He nudged her hip looking for some kind of snack.

"Not right now, you sneaky boy. Maybe later, I have work to do," she told Giant.

Then Bronwyn made her voice heard. It was clear she wanted her mate to cut it out so she could get her stall cleaned.

"See, she wants to get all cleaned up too," she looked around and all the rest of the horses and ponies were all awake and at the doors to their stalls. "See, so does everyone else."

She stroked his nose a couple of times and then moved on to Bronwyn's stall. And so Parker went on and cleaned all the stalls before she fed them all. When she finished, she felt quite proud of herself. Mainly proud of the hard work she'd done in cleaning up after the animals but also being around them without freaking out. And keeping herself distracted by feeding and keeping of the maintenance of the animals helped, she felt, that it got her more comfortable being around them. It seemed to be working… Starting with the biggest ones, she was making friends with them, to get used to them. Then she'd work on the next size, until she'd made friends with them all; keeping it all a secret from Eliot. He sure would be surprised when he found out she didn't have a fear of horses or ponies even. Then she left the barn to go get Mr. Grouch up. She had planned to get him to do his physical therapy twice a day. He still couldn't make it out to the barn yet to spend more quality time with the animals, and there was another thick blanket of snow on the ground again. Walking back to the farm house, she decided to wait until at least ten in the morning since it was still so early.

* * *

Eliot couldn't really find anything more to say to Parker at dinner. Truthfully, he did feel guilty for his tone of voice while barking at her, but he didn't feel one bit guilty for having called her out on drugging him. They both left the dishes on the table and he went to his bedroom after she disappeared. Dealing with Parker always seemed to drain his energy. He went in, got into a pair of flannel pajama pants, left his t-shirt on, and climbed back into bed; it was the only place that would be warm quickly with his presence. The hitter figured it would take too long to turn on the heat in the room. And then later when it got too warm, he didn't want to have to leave the warm cocoon of his bed to turn it down. He wanted to get back to Dream Parker and that hay loft. He couldn't understand why he was being so drawn to the unreal Parker and he just couldn't bring himself to do the unthinkable and start a romantic relationship with the real Parker. Eliot turned his light out, his head hit the pillow, and his eyes closed… At first he was in the darkness, and then in his mind's eye, Dream Parker appeared in those short shorts. This time she had a wet white t-shirt tied in a knot so that her midriff was showing. She was bent over the hood of his red orange Challenger SRT with a soaped up sponge. Her hands were on either end of the sponge and moving the item in circles on the hood.

'Dammit Parker,' he thought to himself.

The unreal Parker was such a turn on… And he didn't understand why. Was he attracted to the real Parker in his subconscious and his mind was just playing because he just couldn't bring himself to make his dreams of her a reality? He was a little confused so he turned away from that vision… But when he looked up again, there was a different Dream Parker… This one was more interesting and a little less naked. There she was in a cobalt blue, off one shoulder, an evening gown. Like she'd been out to see the opera or something. He smirked, as if Parker would be interested in opera. Then he looked down and he was dressed in a black tuxedo, black dress shirt, with a vest and a black tie. A mirror appeared; his hair looked good, and flared a bit. His facial hair was perfect with a mustache and goatee started; the soul patch intact. Even his side burns were a little longer… Eliot thought he looked good to him. Something drew him to her. She had her hair up in a ponytail and little sparkly hairpins with diamonds on them kept the stray hairs in place. He took her hand and led her somewhere private… Because she looked positively sinful and he couldn't keep his mind on anything else until he had his way with her…

His advanced hearing training told him they were alone, and then he passionately took her mouth to new heights. He could barely breathe when he let her go. The hitter had to touch her skin and he caressed the dress off her one shoulder. God, he was glad she didn't have a strapless bra on; her breasts were so beautiful. He launched himself into tasting her flesh while he massaged the other before he wildly kissed her again. When she lifted her gown, Eliot knew what she wanted… His warm breath went through her black, lacy, thong panties. He wanted to eat her out and make her come right then, just to taste the sweet nectar between her legs. Then he found her clit through her panties and began to suck and flick his tongue on that pearled amount of flesh. The hitter's left hand gripped her right ass cheek and kept it pulled close to his mouth. The other hand moved up over her gathered dress at her waist, cupped her beautiful breast, and kneaded it like dough in his palm. He felt her flesh start to quiver so he stopped to let her senses plateau a little before he took her… He stood and had her sit on the bench that was at the foot of the bed. Eliot didn't have to ask her, she just reached for his belt. Oh god, she was suddenly licking and sucking him to his own high…

When she got him to the stage where every blood drop went into his cock, he pulled her up to him, turned her, and bent her over the bench at the end of the bed. He sank his thick member into her from behind after he moved the crotch of those panties out of the way. Dream Parker kept quiet by burying her face in the duvet on the bed; her hands gripped it as she moaned. His hips had a good vice like grip on her because they had to be quick… He felt so good yet bad because he felt they could be caught at any moment. His brain didn't allow him the time to figure out just who would be catching them considering it was his dream. And he fucked her hard as she gripped him internally at the end of every hard thrust inside her warm sheath. Eliot's hands one at a time came up to cup, tease each of her breasts, and kept those nipples aching for him. He leaned over her to let her feel his dominance and he kissed the side of her neck. He wanted her to feel that she was his, but something held him back from saying the words. The hitter neared the edge of no return and he grunted as he thrust his body into hers faster… So fast that he felt the tickle at the base of his spine and then he was suddenly floating on air as he came inside her. His mouth found hers and he passionately kissed her to keep from screaming her name.

Then she came and she kissed him back hard with a bit of her own dominant streak coming out. Eliot adjusted the crotch of her panties back into place and helped her get readjusted back to the beautiful Dream Parker. He kissed her once more and he knew that she could taste herself on his mouth. Then the hitter woke up in his dark bedroom, felt his hand inside his pajama bottoms, and around the shaft of his spent penis.

'Dammit,' he thought as he was now stuck in bed with soiled material over his groin.

He threw back the covers and looked at the clock on his nightstand as it read 3:30 in the morning. He sighed and leaned against the bed for support while his other hand contained his cane. The hitter managed to hobble around the end of his bed to the dresser. He found a pair of sweats and then hobbled back to his wheelchair. While there he freed himself from his room and went down the hall to the bathroom. It was a big bathroom where he could roll in and have room to be in his chair. Eliot cleaned himself up and changed his clothing. He carried the soiled clothing back to his room and put it in the hamper. He decided he needed to ask Parker where the laundry facilities were in the morning so he could wash the evidence away of his near teenage-like wet dream he had earlier. Then he put himself back to bed… While lying in bed, he recalled that he felt that his legs felt a little stronger with the braces on. He still didn't feel comfortable trying to walk with them off yet, but he was gaining strength. The hitter didn't know if he felt that way because Parker was helping him with his physical therapy or maybe it was the way she massaged the muscles that got worked. He wondered what she had planned in the morning and then he fell back to sleep.

* * *

Parker came inside through the back door and took her boots off. She left them by the back door after she put the snow shoes back where she got them from. Since there was no evidence of Eliot up and moving around yet, she went up to her room and took a shower up there to get the smell of animals off of her. While in the shower, one of those racy dream scenes popped back into her consciousness… She didn't know what it meant but she thanked the Goddess in her mind for her dreams the night before. And then she wondered if the magic from the rituals the group of women did on Samhain or Halloween night had anything to do with her dreams last night. She smiled with hope if they were; maybe Eliot had a racy dream last night himself? There was no real way of finding out anyway… What was she going to do about it? Oh yeah, go up to Eliot and say…

'By the way, Sparky, did you have an erotic dream about me last night?' She thought; no way, he'd tell her, 'No. Dammit Parker!'

She sighed as she towel dried her hair… Two more days, today and tomorrow… And then she was gone. Parker dressed in a night t-shirt that had Grumpy of the Seven Dwarfs on it saying,

'If you want breakfast, sleep in the kitchen,' she stole it once because she was bored.

The blond thief sat on her bed with her cell phone. It was already eight in the morning in their time zone. She went on the internet and ordered Quinn's Kevlar vest. Fortunately, they had a way to put in a rush order so she did. It would be delivered to the hotel where she would be staying. It wasn't going to be where Tara was under a watchful eye and she was sure by then that Hardison already found a new place to hide out until she got there. Then she called up the place where she bought her horses and ponies… It didn't take her long, and she made a deal to have Jake Barrett come, and stay in the tack room on the cot until she could have somewhere for him to stay built. At least it was warm in the barn and the tack room while the snow storm raged on. She couldn't let him stay in the house while she was gone and he couldn't stay in the barn that was her office even though she had a futon there. She didn't want him snooping around in her stuff or in the farm house while Eliot was still recovering. After that she called the number she'd gotten from the hospital for the physical and massage therapies. At the office she got the physical therapists' scheduler. The woman also was the massage therapists' scheduler as well; so she made the deal for two of them to come out to the farm house on the eighth. She decided to give Eliot a break on the seventh. After taking care of Eliot while she was gone, she headed downstairs to the kitchen to whip something up for breakfast.

* * *

Nate spent some time in bed with Sophie, after they left Beretta and her family. The mastermind talked the grifter into a little make-up sex even though the couple was on a job, just like they played around before leaving San Lorenzo… Sophie had only agreed once they were out of earshot of the family they had just gotten into town. She couldn't very well agree to go shag with Nate while there were little ones and strangers in the room. It didn't help matters that Nate had talked her into it by sucking on his favorite place on her neck and she caved… Then the call came in late that Monday night from Hardison that Nate was needed in Los Angeles. The hacker filled him in that he needed to play Tanya Kramer's priest she was having flown in from Ireland for the occasion of her wedding. They grew up together in the states until he was needed in the Emerald Isle to take care of his ailing grandmother. He was supposed to have known her for a very long time. And Tanya wants to have him officiate her wedding. The time had come to start the premarital classes and if they passed them, then the announcement would be made official. After a mad scramble to find clothing, Nate and Sophie left her apartment. She drove him because she just couldn't let him go; it felt too soon. She tried to argue that Quinn should be doing it… But Nate argued back that he couldn't because he needed to keep his face out of sight from the Villareagos family and really the Delgadillos as well if he was to pretend to be the emissary of El Fantasma. Sophie finally agreed it was for the best, but she didn't have to like it. She wanted to take him off to Paris for some shopping.

The mastermind got on the jet that Hardison appropriated and sat back a while in his leather seat. Once they were in the air, then he found out where Hardison had stashed his costume on the plane…


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N - Interesting... Isn't it... Why did Eliot share Parker's dream?**

**WARNING: Foul Language...**

**Candelaria Rodriguez. Mollyanna Graves, Kasey Johnson, and Floria Turner are mine... Everything else isn't dammit!**

**A/N - Special, Special thanks go out to the AM Coffee Crew! You gals rock! **

**Hope you like this and get a good laugh on... **

**Don't forget to review my lovlies! **

**Thanks!**

* * *

Word reached her on Sunday afternoon through the grapevine; her beloved brother Diego was dead… Candelaria Rodriquez, sister of Diego and cousin of Enrique Villareagos was in prison in Oklahoma for getting caught trying to smuggle drugs from Florida, headed for Chicago, IL. She was indeed upset to hear the news, even worse yet, to find out that the body had disappeared. Who had it? She didn't know, but she swore if she were able to get out, she was going to hunt down and kill the persons responsible for her brother's death…

* * *

Next door in a cell, Lorena Spencer, the newly convicted woman of all the charges the Leverage team set her up for, was getting an earful of everything Candelaria told her cell mate. The district attorney there in Oklahoma decided not to wait for the FBI Special Agents to come back with Diego Rodriguez; bragging rights were at stake, and so Lorena was charged, and went through a trial, so fast it could've made your head spin because they had more than enough evidence. So… Diego was Candy's brother… The former girlfriend of Enrique Villareagos was forming a plan to get back at the bastard that burned her and didn't give a flying fuck as he dumped her. At least now she didn't have to knock off Diego as well. She was going to make Enrique eat his words to her… She did nothing but think about what she could do to get back at the self-centered prick for the rest of the day and night. So when the time came on Monday to go to the dining hall for breakfast, Lorena took her chance… She strolled up to the woman, the voice she recognized that belonged to her neighbor, and her cell mate.

"What the hell do you want?" Candelaria asked the woman in front of her.

She usually went by Candy if you were her friend, and Lorena wasn't yet. Candy was her chosen nickname because she had a wicked sweet tooth. In secret, she had a female guard named Eunice who kept her supplied with any kind of candy she could get her hands on. It was highly illegal, against the rules, and she could lose her job, but it kept Candy tamed. Without the supply of sugar, Candy could be a bitch, be combative with guards, and other prisoners. Looks could be deceiving with her… It was illegal because the guards were not supposed to accept gifts or take bribes from the inmates.

"I'd like to make you an offer you can't refuse…" And Candy's cell mate, Sunny, left to let her deal with this intruder to their conversation.

"What makes you think I'm interested?"

"Because I think I know who might have killed your brother…"

"How would you know that, cunt?" Candy spoke with lots of fake bravado.

"I want to get a little revenge myself… See, it all started with Enrique Villareagos. He just left me in here to rot."

"How do you know my cousin?"

"I dated him a while. Anyway… I think he had something to do with Diego's death. See, Diego had killed some people for me. And then we were arrested by these fake Special Agents from the so called FBI. They even admitted they weren't real agents. They threatened to turn us in to the cops for murder and a bunch of other things if we didn't help them. So I told them about what Enrique's family was shipping from Chile to California. Diego pointed all his fingers at me when it came to confessions about the killings… It makes sense that Enrique would clean up as much of the mess your brother made if he found out that he was talking to supposedly real FBI agents."

"But you said they were fake pigs."

"Yeah, Tanya Kale and Bonnie Kramer were their names. And some guy named Harlequinn I think…"

"You think you remember what they look like? Carmen in cell 305 is an artist. She could draw them."

"But the point is, for now, we're after who killed your brother, right?"

"Right. Maybe you ain't so bad, cunt. I'll think about it. Maybe put some feelers out. I'll get back to ya," she said and then walked off to find Sunny.

* * *

Tara made it through the rest of that Saturday that she'd gotten Enrique on the hook for wanting to make her happy, and putting a ring on it. They went to Mass on Sunday morning at Our Lady of the Angels. And they kept it very chaste afterwards. She allowed him to take her on a picnic so that she could talk about her family. He told her about his, but nothing about the family business. He made up that they were into imports and exports. When Tanya asked what kind, he just told her it was mainly goods to and from Brazil; like costumes for carnival and such. And of course, she pretended to eat it up. She even tried to pick his brain for some ideas for the wedding. He tried to dissuade giving her answers by telling her that anything she wanted, he'd pay for. After the picnic, the Enrique took Tanya back to her hotel room. He wanted to come in and make her feel good. Tara carefully put him off by telling him that she'd have to go to confession again and she didn't want to go back so soon. Hardison told her that her priest was flying in from Ireland in her ear so that she could have something to fall back on… He just didn't tell her who it was… So she assumed that it was Quinn and left it at that because she couldn't ask while she had Enrique there with her.

The grifter turned the tables on Enrique and told him that maybe he should go to confession instead of thinking lustful thoughts of her; he would have plenty of time to do that after they were married. He gave in, took her at her word, and gave her a good night peck on the cheek… Tara didn't know that Enrique was thinking about what his grandfather would say if Father Salvador told him that he was coming in too frequently for the same sins…

* * *

Mollyanna Graves sat typing up some requisition forms at her desk when Kasey Johnson, Certified Massage Therapist, came into the office. She had her travel mug of coffee in her hand and her cat in the other. Wiley E. Cat was the beloved office cat and he was known for getting into mischief. That's why Kasey named him after that stupid coyote of the Looney Tunes fame. The raven haired, about 28, 5'6 Mollyanna got up and came and got the carrier from Kasey. The receptionist was named as she was because her mother liked the name Molly and Anna was her great-grandmother's name; it had nothing to do with Pollyanna. As a matter of fact, she was the exact opposite, considering she loved to wear the color black with her dark, page boy cut hair. She had little turkey stud earrings on that you could only see when she turned her head fast and they would reveal themselves.

"How is he today?"

Wiley had a bit of a bout with diarrhea but it wasn't serious because Kasey got him to the vet right away.

"He's feeling better… But you know how he is when he gets sick, he wants to see you."

"Personally, I think he just likes to get spoiled like any other male human or animal does when they're sick."

"Well, I suppose. I haven't had much time to baby him lately… Speaking of work, anything new come in?" Kasey asked.

She was 5'3, 5'5 in heels, widowed at an early age; though now 36, and well-endowed enough in the chest to make any man happy, but not so heavy her back hurt. She had perfect posture so she glided into a room like a dancer. Kasey's eyes were like sapphires with light brown flecks of color; her hair was a kaleidoscope of red. Strawberry red was the base color of her long hair with mulberry-plum lowlights, and then cinnamon highlights spread around on her crown. Her legs were covered by a wonderful brown suede skirt, and an ivory blouse under a red orange cardigan.

"Yeah, some lady called. She wants physical and massage therapy for her husband. She's going out of town soon; set an appointment for the eighth."

"Sounds good. Does Floria know yet?"

"Nope, today's her day off."

"Oh. I'll be in my office catching up on paperwork."

"Are you done with my Crane album yet?"

"Crane?"

"Yeah, you know Kenneth Crane's, 'The Roadhouse Rules album I lent you…"

"Oh, that one… Um. I'll buy you another one…"

"What? Come on! That was autographed! I went all the way to Crocketsville, Kentucky to get it signed. I can't even get another one! He hasn't had a new album in a few years. You can't do this to me! What happened to it? Did Wiley scratch it?"

"Relax, it's okay. I just haven't made it past Bourbon in Mind…"

"Ohhh, I know. That song gives me ideas… Just wait until you hear, The Circles We Make. I swear; I could dance myself into a daydream with that one."

"Really? Seriously? He's not recorded anything new yet?"

"Nope. If I could get my hands on him… Ohhh… I am not above beggin' for a new album."

"You and me both, he's got such a talent… Did you get your voting in last night?"

"Yup, I feel like we're getting him one step closer to that Favorite Actor Turned Singer Award from the Public's Choice Awards. I have to get back to work and voting, because I am a Craniac, and we win the hard stuff."

"Yeah, we are Craniacs, aren't we? Now, go vote… Vote like the wind!" Kasey spoke as she was parodying a line of dialog from the movie, The Three Amigos.

"Wait, what about my CD?"

"Give me another week. I swear, I'll give it back then."

"I'm watching you… Don't make me hold Wiley hostage…" Mollyanna teased.

"Alright, alright. Say, what's the name on that new client?"

"Alice and Wes Abernathy."

"Thanks."

* * *

Just as Mollyanna made it back to her desk, the other half of the partnership came into work on her day off. Floria Turner came in the door and brought a Stor-All box of records in with her. She was 5'1, 5'3 in heels, in her early 40's, divorced, and looking pretty stylish in the knitted poncho Mollyanna made for her. To accompany that was an awesome pair of tight jeans and black cowboy boots. She had an athletic build but she hadn't been to the gym in a while because of work; she'd gone from 120 to 125lbs. There had been a boost in clients and she'd gotten super busy… Even though that was good for their business coffers, it was putting more stress on her body. Her breasts came out to a wonderful 36C and her shoulder length hair was a dark chocolate brown with dark brown eyes to match.

"Morning all," she said as she kicked the door closed with the back of her right foot.

"Thought you were off today," Mollyanna queried her boss as she stroked the back of Wiley's head.


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N - WARNING: ADULT THEMES...**

**We're getting closer!**

**Hope you all enjoy this last chapter and I can't wait to see what comes to me by next Friday!**

**A/N - Special thanks to the AM Coffee Crew, you gals rock!**

**Parker wants to gobble up your reviews, so don't leave her hungry, pretty please!**

**Thanks!**

* * *

"Yeah, it was… I forgot I had taken work home. So I spent last night catching up on paperwork. Thought I would bring it in and see what I left on my desk to finish. I figured I could put in a half day anyway."

"Call came in this morning."

"Yeah?" Floria went to her office and Mollyanna followed with Wiley in her arms.

"Yeah. Mrs. Abernathy wanted some physical therapy and massage therapy for her husband. She's going out of town on Wednesday."

"I see. Did she give you anything about his diagnosis?"

"He's had a fractured right leg, two punctured lungs, four broken ribs, a broken left leg, and a fractured right arm. Most have healed but now he wants to walk again. He's in a pair of Guardesis 300's. She says she's done some leg stretching with him and a little massage afterward; but she's going out of town soon for work."

"My goodness, he's been through the ringer, hasn't he? When did you schedule him in?"

"She set the appointment for the eighth. Don't worry, you both are free," Mollyanna said loud enough for Kasey to hear as well.

"Great. How old is he?"

"He's 35."

"Oh my god, how in the world did he get those kinds of injuries at such a young age?"

"Prolly got in a fight or car accident."

"Before I get ready to leave, remind me to load up what I need for Wednesday."

"You got it."

* * *

Monday, Enrique had some business to take care of, like all those clients he had hooked on and the many women he screwed around with. So, he took a break from the headache of wedding planning and Tanya. However, still wary of her, he had her followed everywhere… Looking for any excuse to break up this wedding business and get back to being a fulltime player. He considered calling up some of those clients to get a little release of pent up energy. If he felt like it, he'd go to confession about it later…

* * *

Tara went shopping all over Los Angeles… The famous Olvera Street marketplace, Rodeo Drive… She managed to steal a few things in both places without being caught. She went to the Beverly Center and stole a few more things before she headed to Farmer's Market for lunch. Really, she didn't have to keep up pretenses; she knew she was being followed. As a grifter, she needed to keep tabs on everything in her environment. She saw Juan leaning against a pole three stands away from the fruit stand she was at. She helped him lose her for a moment and then came up behind him. He didn't really notice she was there right behind him…

"Would you have lunch with me, Juan?" She asked as he was trying to spot her blond hair in the crowd.

She knew it was probably highly against the rules Enrique set for his bodyguards, but she felt sorry for him. He was going to have to eat on the run if he was following her around all day, and the man needed a decent meal to keep up with her energy level. She assumed that the man's boss didn't want her to know she was being followed.

"No."

"Come on, please?" She turned on her charms and batted her eyes at him. "At least, let me buy you something to keep up with me."

Tara could see the internal battle going on beyond his eyes. He was warring with the, loyalty to his boss side and the, I need sustenance side.

'Probably just has a Power Bar in his pocket,' the grifter thought.

"I promise, I won't tell if you don't."

Then she took him by the hand and started to pull him. She didn't have any resistance as he gave in and followed her. He took her around to his favorite spots at Farmer's Market to eat at while the Villareagos family stayed in Los Angeles. Tara didn't ply him for secrets of his boss and he didn't offer, but what he did share was that he was under appreciated by Enrique. She told him it was a shame that he didn't have a better boss. He argued that he really didn't mind because the pay was good. After lunch they went back to being strangers as she made him follow her through The Grove and more…

* * *

The blond thief had a robe on over her nightshirt and she decided that cereal would be okay… Even better was oatmeal… Only she didn't make oatmeal very well. It always either came out so thick like wall paste or so loose that it was soup. Well, true to form, it came out like wall paste… But she threw in a bit of cream and chopped up some fresh peaches. She added some butter as well to loosen it up a bit more and it seemed edible… She went to Eliot's room and knocked. She heard Velcro being adjusted so she opened the door anyway.

"Dammit Parker, wait for me to tell you to come in," Eliot said as he stood there, leaning on the side of his bed with his hands holding up the t-shirt he slept in last night to cover his nude chest.

She went to his dresser, pulled out a clean t-shirt, and tossed it at him so that he wouldn't have to ride in his chair to get it himself.

"Whew, it smells like sex and candy in here…" She uttered out of the blue, but it did honestly smell like that in the room.

"What did you want?" Eliot asked her, annoyed; as he dropped down the dirty shirt so he could put the clean one on to pull it up on his arms.

The nimble troublemaker was distracted by the sight of Eliot's naked chest; how erect his nipples were because of the cold. And she zoned off in a kind of instant day dream of herself dressed like a country girl… In braided pigtails, denim short shorts, a country shirt over a tank top that was pulled up above her breasts. His country shirt was open and she was letting her fingers play walked across his six pack of abs and he didn't seem to mind; his face looked like he was satiated and happy.

"Parker!" Got through her brain fog and it snapped her back to reality.

"What!? Breakfast is ready," then she turned and left the doorway.

* * *

Eliot heard the back door open and close the second time and he decided to wake up. But he still didn't feel like getting out of bed. The images left in his mind's eye puzzled him… And the question popped into his mind again… Why was he attracted to the dream version of Parker but he was repulsed by the idea of getting together with the real Parker? Was his subconscious trying to tell him something? He threw back the covers and stood up with his cane in his right hand to balance himself until he could turn around. He'd just pulled off his shirt and a little adjustment was needed on his braces. There was a knock on the door. Suddenly, Parker was barging in. Eliot held up the dirty t-shirt he'd spent the night in to protect what modesty he had left. He barked at her for the usual privacy violation and she tossed a clean t-shirt at him. Then she abruptly just stated that it smelled like sex and candy in his room.

'Oh God, could she smell his nocturnal activity," he wondered.

He asked her what she wanted… And then he saw, 'that,' look in her eyes… The kind of look women got when they were mentally stripping him down to nothing… He let her go on that way until he felt really awkward and then she smiled as she was lost in her little world. Eliot couldn't help it and he barked her name again to bring her back to the present so that he could find out what she wanted. Then Parker informed him that breakfast was ready and left him alone. He sighed before he put on the shirt she tossed at him.

'Dear God, get me through this day with her,' he prayed without a sound.

Soon enough he made it to the dining room and there was breakfast in a covered bowl…

"What is this?"

"Oatmeal with fresh peaches, cream, and butter. Sorry if it's like wall paste, I've never been good at oatmeal. I eat cereal."

He pulled off the plastic lit over the bowl. It actually looked tasty…

"I'll teach you if you want to know," he didn't know what made him offer to do such a nice thing, given that she'd already stressed him out already.

"Someday, I guess," she answered and he felt a little relief at the reprieve.

He could live with someday. It didn't have to be today or tomorrow… Maybe next week or next month. Then she hit him with another bombshell…

"I hired someone to come take care of the horses. He'll be here tomorrow if the storm lets up. Gotta have something built for him to stay in."

"Why can't he stay in here? Isn't there a guest room?"

"Yeah but that's where Hardison's gonna sleep. Don't worry about it… There's heat out in the barn and there's a bed, and heat in the tack room."

He didn't like where this conversation was headed… Was he supposed to cook for this new hired hand? Why did she hire one in the first place? He thought she was doing alright feeding and cleaning out the stalls herself. Maybe she was tired of the hard work… She was a thief, thieves don't muck stalls; maybe goes against their skills. What if she had hired the hand so that she could have more free time…? What was she going to do with all that free time? Was she going to be doing more physical therapy with him? Was Parker going to be doing more cooking? Did the blond thief want him to teach her more things in the kitchen? Whatever she was up to, he had a feeling it was going to cause more stress…

* * *

Nate landed and Hardison picked him up. They went to his hotel and Hardison ordered in a pizza because it was late and neither one had eaten in a while. The hacker explained how he had set up Nate to come in as Tanya's priest that she had flown in from Ireland for the wedding. The mastermind spent some time practicing his Irish accent and recalling his knowledge of all things Catholic for his part. In the morning he was to meet with the person in charge at Our Lady of the Angels. Explain that the parish priest in charge had won an all-expenses paid trip to Rome to meet the Pope. Because the Pope wanted to meet him, thank him for his diligent, faithful service to his parish, the Catholic Church, and to God. And if the man didn't understand why such a nobody, humble parish priest was chosen, he could tell the man, because brought it to the Pope in a dream. Who would dare question God or the Pope? In the morning, Nathan Ford would become Nathan Quinn direct from Limerick, Ireland… And Hardison foresaw the trouble that might come along the pike, so he went and made up a background on the web for Nathan Quinn so that if anyone of Enrique's family, Enrique, or his security team wanted to check him out, he was solid. Nate gave Hardison the present he'd brought back from Australia for the hacker… A boomerang. It wasn't one of those touristy painted kinds, no, this one was real… A tree root, carved by hand by an Aborigine, and it was just beautiful to look at, with some of the black scorch marks, and the smoothed grains of the wood.


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N - Movin' forward!**

**Lots of surprises...**

**Hope you like it!**

**Honor your favorite hitter/vet and please don't forget to review!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Juan made sure Tanya made it back to her hotel room in one piece without another word to her at the end of the afternoon. He knew that she knew he was there but neither one made a move to acknowledge the other; as it was supposed to have been to begin with. Then Juan left the hotel and headed to report in to Enrique that Monday night. For you see, not everything was as it seemed… The body guard known as Juan Lopez Ramirez was not really who he said he was… He was really Marco Ayala, a deep undercover agent for the ATF. He's been building a case against the Villareagos family. Aside from drugs, the men of the family and their minions were huge gun exporters. He's been deep undercover for a year. But Juan or Marco couldn't share this with Tanya. Doing so could put his case and his life in considerable danger. Juan let himself in to Enrique's room. His boss was out on the balcony with some kind of drink in his hand and an electronic tablet in the other.

"I'm back, Boss."

"Enrique wants to know where his fiancée went and what she did," the man called from the balcony.

Marcos rolled his eyes where Enrique couldn't see his face.

"All she did was shop, shop, shop. Bought dresses, naughty things for the honeymoon, I guess. She bought lunch at Farmer's Market and then more shopping. I think she bought something for you, as she went into a men's themed shop. I am sorry; I could not get any closer as you did not want her to know that I was watching her."

"Did she converse with any men, Enrique would like to know."

"No," Juan lied to protect Tanya and him, and Enrique's back was to him.

And the 6'0, dark haired and athletic, ATF agent didn't hesitate in answering because his boss would have known he was lying. Dammit, his boss was so damn paranoid and jealous. He grabbed a glass and settled on just plain bottled water from the fridge, because he didn't dare drink around the man, just in case. He had witnessed him kill men for less. He needed all his faculties when it came to Enrique. Then he went out on the balcony with his boss.

"Enrique wants you to continue following her… I will call you to follow her after our meeting at Our Lady of the Angels on Tuesday."

"Yes, Boss."

So far, things were good. And keeping an eye on Tanya was good as well, just in case he needed to get out of the situation. He didn't want to leave her behind… If she wasn't Enrique's, he wouldn't mind picking up the slack where that idiot left off. She seemed kind and caring enough… After all, she cared enough to make sure his sorry ass ate something to keep his energy up. Marcos made a mental note to get some energy bars to put in his pockets… He couldn't get caught eating lunch with Tanya again.

* * *

After breakfast, Parker rinsed the dishes and changed into her spare, neck to toe, all back body suit she sometimes used in practicing jumping off of buildings. Her hands and feet were bare because she needed them to be once she finished working out the hitter's legs. She came down to the living room and Eliot was flipping through channels looking for something to watch. Not finding much luck. The thief dared to and stole the remote right out of his hand. She turned the television off and Eliot barked at her…

"Dammit Parker!"

"Well Mister Spencer, you can have it back once we get those muscles stretched," Parker stated matter of fact.

"Gimme the damn remote, Parker."

"Uh, uh, exercise first," she narrowed her eyes at him that just spoke, 'Try me.'

"Fine… Let's get this over with."

She had him stay in his wheelchair this time. With a little work she removed the foot rests and his braces. Parker had him just lift his legs up, where the tops of his feet met her hand just placed in the air. She had him do it ten times on each leg. Then she brought over this pedaling machine she had her decorating team leave in Hardison's room. The blond set it with enough traction so that it wouldn't be too easy and he'd injure himself. This way he could go slowly and build up the strength. She put his feet on the pedals and then held them with her hands so they wouldn't slide. Parker helped him slowly complete one rotation; while the other one had no choice but to follow. She got him to do twenty of them; ten and then pause a few minutes and then complete the other set. The thief saw that Eliot was grimacing so she decided it was time to stop. She put the foot rests back on the chair before she stood and grabbed the lotion bottle from the nearest end table. Parker sat down, put lotion on her hands, and began to lightly massage his lower legs and knees. She wanted to go higher but Eliot didn't want her to touch him anymore, because friends didn't do that for each other. Well, someone was coming in a few days that would be able to massage him for her. When she finished she put his braces back on and handed him the remote. Through the whole session, not much was said… She went to the kitchen, grabbed two pain pills, and a glass of water. Parker left them on the coffee table where he could reach them and then disappeared into the den/Hardison's guest bedroom.

* * *

The thief powered up the computer Hardison set up for her in there. She sent Sophie an email from the computer to the grifter's phone to update her about the hired help and the therapists coming to help Eliot. After that for some strange reason, Parker needed cheering up, and she knew just where to go. She grabbed the knee high riding boots and put them on from her closet. She went to the kitchen, grabbed a mixing bowl, and filled it full of apples, and quickly watered the lavender seeds she'd gotten on Halloween. No signs of anything yet… Maybe it needed to be warmer. As she passed by the living room, she noticed the pills she left behind were gone and the glass was empty. Eliot had moved to the sofa, was stretched out, and covered with a blanket. She grabbed her thick coat and she left the farm house with the apples, the three lavender seeds she named Fred in the pot, and headed out to the barn. Parker took the lavender plant and put it in the tack room where it was warm and left it under a lamp. It would be like fake sunlight and she wondered if it would work. Then she went back to Giant. He was already making noises… She held an apple in the palm of her hand out for him; he snapped it up with his lips, and teeth. Then one apple each for Bronwyn, Jack and Jill, Bud and Wiser, Castle and Beckett, Sea of Midnight and Raine of Spring, and then lastly Snickers, and Kit-Kat. After the quick feeding frenzy, Parker grabbed the set of brushes she had by the stalls and went into Giant's stall. She softly touched him in comforting strokes with her bare hands at first and when she felt comfortable enough, she stroked him with her hands in the brushes, in long strokes from his shoulder to his back hip.

Parker sighed and smiled… Touching the horse made her smile; a good, rich smile. After some time with Giant, she moved on to Bronwyn and touched her with her bare hands in some comforting strokes like she had with her mate. And then she began to brush her as well… And after another span of time she moved on to the Percherons, the Clydesdales, the Thoroughbreds, the Arabians, the Shetlands, and finished so calm. She was proud of herself that she was side by side with the horses and ponies and she hadn't panicked. Touching them slowly and gently seemed to put her at ease; took away the panic that they were going to murder her. Surely and slowly she was overpowering her fears of the magnificent animals.

* * *

Eliot thought he would surf channels after breakfast and find something to float his boat until lunch. He had just found a documentary show on medieval weapons when all of a sudden; the remote was ripped from his hand… And the program he was about to watch was turned off; that pissed him off. He yelled at her for it and she was abruptly challenging him with getting his physical therapy completed. Dammit! He had wanted to see the show. He really wanted to fight her for the remote but he gave in; letting her have her way seemed easier than wasting time and energy.

'What the hell was she wearing now?' He thought…

She looked damn hot again, all she was missing was the mask and she could easily double as Catwoman. The hitter reigned himself in and tried to focus on his physical therapy. So, she had him lift his feet to meet her hand in the air… But what she neglected to mention was that she had strapped on two pound ankle weights to his ankles. He thought the weights weren't going to be an issue… Until he had to actually lift them. His legs were weaker than he'd thought they were. Eliot was glad she only made him do ten lifts on each side. He thought he was done… Up until she came back with some kind of stationary pedaling machine. The hitter was worried what she was going to make him do with it. He made a mental note not to resist her when she told him it was time to do his physical therapy. She helped him get through the first ten rotations and he thought he had no more in him to do more until the blond thief pushed him and got another ten rotations out of him. He was in pain when he finished. Parker had worked him a little harder and he felt better, but now very tired and hurting from the exertion. Then he watched her sit on the floor and the foot rests came back. She began her massage of his lower legs and knees. It felt good but he was still sore. And when she finished, from somewhere a glass of water and two white pills appeared on the coffee table next to him. Eliot smirked; at least she'd brought them to him instead of drugging him. Those pills were so welcome and down quickly they went. Soon he was feeling no pain and the remote was firmly back in his hand. The medication was stronger than he'd thought and he found himself drifting to sleep on the sofa under his blanket.

* * *

It was nine in the morning, on that beautiful Tuesday. Father Michael Kern was busy lighting a few candles for friends he'd lost in a small vestibule about fifteen feet from the fountain of holy water in the center. He heard the door close behind him… He turned, spied a beautiful blond woman, and a short haired tall man with the woman's arm in tandem with the man's. No other parishioners filled the pews at that early hour so he decided to engage the couple.

"How may I help you, my children?"

"I am here, no, we are here to see Father Quinn."

"Oh, Father Quinn is around here somewhere. Who may I say is calling?"

"Tell him, Tanya Kramer is here and this is my fiancé Enrique."

"Very good. I will be right back. Have a seat if you wish."

Father Michael Kern lightly rapped on the door to the head parish priest's office.

"Yes?" A man asked.

"Excuse me, Father Quinn. Tanya Kramer and her fiancé are here to speak with you."

"Whell now, send the love birds in," he answered.

"Yes, Father. Will you need anything else?"

"No, thank you."

* * *

Tara was hoping that it was Quinn they were going to see instead of Hardison dressed as a priest. She wouldn't put it past the hacker to even hire someone new to play the part. What she wasn't expecting to see was Nathan Ford behind an antique mahogany desk dressed like a priest…

"Come, come in my children," he came around the desk and came to greet them. "Tanya, my dear, it's been a long time since we have gotten to catch up."

"Yes, yes it has," Tara played along and she was going to kill Hardison for not receiving a clearer heads up. "Enrique Villareagos, this is Father Quinn. I had him flown in from Ireland for our wedding."

"Father Nathan Quinn at your service," Nate stuck out his hand for Enrique to shake.

"Enrique is glad to meet you…" he shook the mastermind's hand and Tara took a seat in front of the, 'Father's' desk.


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N - Well... The con is on...**

**And things get interesting with Parker and Eliot...**

**Hope you like it!**

**Parker wants you to send Eliot some reviews because he is her favorite vet...**

**So, please send some!**

**Thanks and enjoy!**

* * *

"Likewise," the priest he'd just met took his seat behind the desk. "Now, as I understand it, you wish for me to officiate your wedding."

"Yes, my mother would have wanted it that way since we grew up together," Tara spoke.

Enrique wondered where these two grew up together considering the priest had an Irish accent and his girl didn't. And then he considered their possible ages and wondered if the two had once been an item before he might have gone into the priesthood. If so, Enrique had a new threat to his new relationship…

"Both of you are Catholic?"

"Yes," his girl uttered, "You know I am."

"Enrique says yes. My family priest is Father Salvador. He is back home in Brazil," he let him know as if the priest might want to contact him to verify that he was Catholic.

"Whell, my children, there are requirements the church has that you must fulfill before you may be allowed to marry in this Catholic Church," he spoke with an Irish accent.

"Like what?" Tanya asked.

"To start, you must complete four weeks of classes with me. We will be going through the different aspects of and our Heavenly Father's views on marriage."

Enrique began to squirm in his seat a little… Four weeks? A whole month? Could he keep up the charade of getting married to the woman next to him? He had only wanted to get into that sweet, warm, and wet spot between her legs with his pride. Now it felt like she was holding him by the balls because of some promise he supposedly made to her after a night of partying… He was so ready to walk away, but he knew his grandfather's pride in his family wouldn't allow him to just walk away, especially since his mother and grandmother were hungry for a new grandchild, great grandchild to devour and spoil rotten like they had the rest of the males in the family… His grandfather warned him to be wary of Tanya though… Maybe he could find a loophole there… Because then he would be free to walk away if she strayed first.

"We should start next Monday through Friday. Your homework assignment is to put something down on paper about how you see the ceremony."

"Great. Will you be available later today, Father?" Tara asked.

"Yes, my child."

"Good. I will be by later so that I can catch up with you."

Enrique wasn't sure what she was up to… He didn't want to be jealous of the Father, but… He didn't like that she was going to return and be in the presence of another man.

"When was the last time you let me hear your confession?"

"My gosh, too long. Would you? When I return?"

"Yes, I would be honored."

He wondered what the woman had to confess. She just went to confession on Saturday…

* * *

Later on before lunch, Parker thought she would try to get some laundry done. The hitter's door wasn't closed all the way, like he hadn't closed it until the mechanism in the doorknob clicked. She caught Eliot standing on his legs and trying to make his bed. He was using his cane in one hand and using the other to pull the sheets over the corners of the mattress. There he went again, trying to rush his recovery… She wondered if it might be time to start him working on standing on his legs with his physical therapy. It would be pushing his legs and knees with a lot more weight than ever before. So far, she'd only had him doing exercises laying down or sitting up. Parker wondered if having him walk short distances with her help, might help him build strength in his legs.

"You need help?"

"Dammit Parker, don't sneak up on me."

"I didn't sneak up; the door was cracked open."

"No, I don't need help. I'm almost done."

"You hungry yet?"

"Not really. Why, what did you have in mind?"

"I thought we could try something different for physical therapy this time, since you clearly want to be up on your feet."

"I'm tired of that damn chair… I know I can move, Parker."

"I won't say no, this time. But we're gonna start small and build. Hop in and I'll take you to the kitchen."

"Why would I want to go to the kitchen?"

"Just trust me, Sparky."

He gave her a look and then hobbled over to the chair; the bed supporting him on one side while his cane supported the other. She let go of the breath she was holding until he finally sat down in the wheelchair. Then Parker wheeled him into the kitchen and parked him next to the breakfast counter that was next to the refrigerator. She locked the wheels in place and put the foot rests up.

"Now, I want you to get up and take small steps with me to the other end of this counter. Then when we stop there before the back door, we'll turn and come back to the chair. Remember small steps. I don't care if you wanna shuffle, just go slow. Now Sparky, let's go for a walk."

* * *

Eliot was bored and he decided he had enough time before lunch to go in and change his sheets. There had been an extra set in the bottom drawer of his dresser. At least it was something he could do alone. It was one more thing Parker didn't have to do for him and would give him a sense of normalcy. He started by stripping down his bed on the left side of the bed. For a moment, he swore he heard his mother's ethereal voice in his ear telling him that making his bed was a way to make her happy. He smirked at the memory. He hated to make his bed because he was a teenager, but he did it to make his mother happy and to keep his dad from beating either one of them up after he drank. His father used to beat on his mother, and him, if the house wasn't clean to his standards. Once the bed was stripped, he put the fitted sheet on top of the bed. He used his body to lean against the bed while he used his arms to spread the fitted sheet the right way. Eliot managed to get the right two corners on the left side of the bed. Then he hobbled over to the right side, where his back was to the door. He was bent over pulling one of the corners down over the right top corner of the bed, remembering when his mother used to go around the house humming, 'Crazy,' by Patsy Cline when his dad was at work at the store, when he suddenly heard Parker's voice behind him. He nearly fell backwards from being startled.

The hitter barked at her because she still should have knocked even if the door was cracked open. She asked if he needed help, but he only had one corner left to put on. Putting on the top sheet was easy from there. Then she wanted to know if he was hungry… He wasn't starving, but he could eat something if something was made, by him or her. So he told her that he wasn't really hungry and then out of the blue, she wanted to try something new with his physical therapy… He didn't know if he was going to like her idea… But if it got him out of the wheelchair for a while, he might be persuaded to give whatever she had in mind a try. And the first thing she told him to do… Was to get back in the wheelchair. Dammit… He had to trust her that she had a good plan for getting him out of the wheelchair for a while. And she took him into the kitchen, locked his chair in place, and up the foot rests went…

'What next,' he thought…

Parker told him that she wanted him to get up and walk to the other end of the counter. Then turn around and come back, but with slow and small steps… It seemed like a good idea at first, but suddenly it felt like his flesh and bones didn't want to comply. He wasn't that tired… But for her he had to try or she would be sad, and sad on Parker's face wasn't pretty. Eliot stood and he looked like he was going down as his left hand couldn't steady his cane. Suddenly, Parker glued her right side to his left. She put his left arm around her shoulders and her right hand had a grip on his right hip; no more cane. His right hand and arm in the soft cast rested on the tiled counter; his fingers gently guided his hand along the tile. She let him take one shuffled step on the right and then he shuffled the left, once broken leg. All the while, she held onto him, encouraged him after each shuffle of his feet. He felt the strength in her arms as she held onto him and he prayed he wouldn't fall. Twenty, agonizingly painful filled steps later and they'd made it to the end of the counter.

"Good job… Slow and steady… Ready to turn around, Sparky?"

Eliot didn't want to admit he needed help. Hell, he was ready to sit back down in that damn wheelchair again, and have her go find him two of those white pills she left for him earlier… But then he remembered that he hadn't eaten yet and those kinds of pills on an empty stomach was not a good idea.

"Ready as I'm ever gonna be."

So Parker turned him around so that she was next to the counter. He didn't get why she was there instead of him.

"Parker, we're a little backwards…"

Abruptly, she wrapped her arms around his waist, and ducked her head out from under his shoulder. Eliot wasn't sure what she was up to… But then he felt her body as it slid against his backside; especially her breasts… He felt something like electric shocks go up his spine and then she was there under his right arm…

"See? All set, Sparky. Last few steps and then we'll eat, promise…"

Eliot didn't know where he found the strength to deal with the pain, but he made it those twenty steps back to his chair. He carefully sat back down in the wheelchair and she took care of the foot rests so that he could rest his legs.

"You did great… I know it wasn't easy, but it will get better…" she encouraged him again.

"Thanks."

* * *

'Oh my Goddess… He pushed himself harder than he should have,' Parker thought as she set about getting him something to relieve his pain.

She brought him a glass of water and two pills. He took the glass of water and she put the pills in his hand. The blond thief's eyes told him to go on and take them, because he'd earned them. Then she turned away and went to the refrigerator. Several times it felt like Eliot was going to fall so she made sure she held on tighter when he was about to put his weight on each foot as he shuffled another step. Parker figured that later after dinner she'd just have him do some stretching exercises, something easy since he did his hardest work that afternoon. After lunch she planned to massage his legs, this time just to his mid- thigh and no higher. She didn't want him to feel uneasy if she went higher than that. The blond thief reminded herself that they were just friends. Mid-thigh seemed like the right place to stop for just being friends. She made Eliot one of her, 'Monster,' sandwiches and she couldn't find anything that appealed to her appetite, so she just munched on some Golden Grahams.


End file.
